Detrimental Diversions
by Rakusa
Summary: Serena was on her way to do a very big favor when she met someone who could undo it all.
1. Chapter 1

Detrimental Diversions

Summary: Serena was on her way to do a very big favor when she met someone who could undo it all.

7.8.2012

Yesterday had been a mixed big of goodies. In the end though, Serena thought happily as she leaned against the door-frame to the car she finally managed to get down to of all things: Pony, Montana. It had a cutesy name and it was a charming town she found herself in. The town was nestled into a surrounding of mountains. The season was not yet winter, though judging by last night, that might have changed. Though here, it was still quite clear that it wasn't yet time to be laying out all the amenities for the up-sweep of guests the season usually brought.

Not that she would know on her own experiences. And it wasn't the town she'd found herself in, though it was quite gorgeous and would have lifted her mood anyways, it was the night before. The man of the night before. A delicious shiver went through her just recalling everything that transpired. It had been more than a meeting of the flesh, it had been a meeting of minds and emotions and desires. It had been perfect.

She was lost in the idyllic surrender of memories for a little while... Though it hadn't started out roses, that was for sure.

–

She had been following the same flashy car for miles, going way above speed, especially for these roads and in this condition. She was cursing out fate, and why she'd ever agreed to this in the first place as big drifts of snow came flocking to her windshield. Wet enough that it was difficult to brush them aside. Further cursing transpired every time her wheels slipped for a fraction of a second and her heart started pounding in its cage.

She would get it back under control but her breathing and her heart took longer to do so, her instincts faster than her breathing techniques. The car ahead of her looked to be having only slight problems as it slowed down enough for her to bridge the extensive gap that had been between them for quite some time.

He'd passed her on the interstate and Serena had only been able to spot him on the winding trails, on bends further ahead, along the ridges of other mountains but none of the turn offs had been taken. She had to admit though, the car while unsuited for the weather, it was well suited for the environment in more favorable conditions. The low slung sports body of the car hugged the curves with a grace that Serena's own vehicle could not. Though hers would see her to the other side of the mountains if the snow kept up, if she'd had remembered the chains Lizzy had fostered into her hands when she'd first agreed to this farce.

They were sitting, unfortunately, on the table near the door as she'd rushed out. She'd have to call and tell the sitters of it, that they should put it in her room and lock the door and forget that there was anything there. All her valuables were either in storage or with Lizzy herself. Her cat had been kept in her friend's safe-keeping even though the girl was allergic. Serena smiled fondly in remembrance of Luna's nonchalant attitude about being given up and having her house rearranged. The cat always liked Lizzy better anyway.

Serena would have to be reassured that the sitters wouldn't damage her furniture or do inappropriate things all over the apartment. She tried not to let her min think of that and she shuddered away the images.

She had noticed too, on this long drive that she'd pulled into a gas station hours ago and hadn't seen one since. Her tank was glaring at her, telling her that the empty single was not there just for show and she had to be careful on how much gas she used. She might not make it as far as the next ridge if she put her foot too heavy on the gas peddle.

The light started blinding her just as the sun finally dipped beyond the peaks around them, signaling its decent. The day would turn dark before it really even begun, a quick stolen glance at the clock reminded her that it was only four in the afternoon.

She'd given up her nice beach front property, however temporarily, for this. She'd flown up here and saw the truck parked, just as she knew it would be at the airport when she landed. She'd thrown her bags into the trunk and set off this way right away. There had been no reason to lolly about in Billings. Nobody would be there for her and she hadn't planned to stay the night anywhere, intent on getting to her destination. But her flight had been late and even the half hour was detrimental to her state of mind, she was having enough trouble navigating the roads in daylight, much less trying to manage it in the dark and snow. She wasn't a mountain driver, the only times she did were in the summer in ones that compared with these mountains put them to shame to even think they were on the same playing field. These made those look like mole-hills that kids liked to roll down for fun.

The grip on the steering wheel tightened as she realized the car in front of her had slowed down a lot more than she had realized. Perhaps it was having more difficulty than she'd thought. But he was also slowing her down. Perhaps he was finally turning off and then she saw it, the exit that would give her a chance to refill. She followed him as he signaled to another small community, one probably larger than where she was intending to go.

But she seized the opportunity to fill up and there were only four pumps at the station. One a giant truck was tending and then the one the sports car took up, and she pulled into the one so she could face the man across the top of his car. When she got out to fill hers up, she glanced up and saw the man driving the machine. She'd thought he'd be old, an old man having a midlife crisis or one trying to reclaim his youth, or at the very least a man who had saved all his life and finally spent his money on something unpractical.

Instead, her breath caught in her chest and words escaped her for a minute as she fumbled with the cap on the rusted old truck. He was utterly breathtaking. Not in the classic beauty but with the sheer male rawness that was undeniable. Even from this distance she could see that his nose had once been broken, and while now straight, there was a scar along the top going sideways. His lips weren't quite even, as if another scar kept them from doing as he wanted with his mouth sometimes, but that's what where the scars ended. His hair was dark and gleamed like a raven's wing, and the setting sun through a shine onto it, causing a halo around his head.

He was her dark angel.

He didn't even glance up at her and the old truck that had been following him for ages. He probably deemed a male was behind the wheel and hadn't wanted anything to do with him. He'd probably brush her off anyway, more interested in himself and his wealth than the people around him. He'd pay at the pump and get back in his car and probably had a girlfriend waiting on the other end of the line to his built in phone, having to be paused in her uninteresting talk of the day she'd had while being pampered.

But what was he doing out here in the middle of nowhere? This was not a place a rich man, in his mid to late twenties ventured on his own with a sleek car and business clothes. It wouldn't hurt to ask, but she'd probably be rebuffed for even trying, ignoring her like a horse ignoring the flies buzzing around its head. He'd get in the car without responding and drive off. Probably on his way to California or Washington, unwilling to let his car stay in New York or Connecticut while he had business to attend to on the opposite coast. Preferring to waste time and gas on his precious car than leave it behind. Money never a concern for him or the environment.

She cleared her throat. She could easily go inside or ask the man with the truck. The first option, she'd have to anyway, to pay, she just realized that they'd pulled over just in time. It wasn't a pay at the pump like she'd been used to, but pay at the register and the second one was still an option if neither of the first two worked out. "Excuse me?" She asked in her politest voice and the man's head snapped up and around to her.

He hadn't felt her gaze on him then, undressing him despite her best intentions to treat him like another human being. She tried her hardest now not to show case that seedier side to her. He caught sight of her with the beat up truck and he seemed to be reevaluating something. "You've been following me for quite awhile. I should have looked to see who the driver was. I'm afraid my mind was somewhere else." She'd known that, but she was surprised by the accent, it wasn't from anywhere on the East Coast. It was crisp and clean and clear like the Midwest, but there was also a short drawl as if he was hiding his true voice. Was he really from this area after-all? But then what was he doing out here, dressed like that and in that car when snow pelted them from all sides. "What can I help you with?" A crooked smile due not to the small scar, but because that's how his lips naturally lifted or was it for her?

She felt an answering one rise to her own. "That's all right, its hard not to be when you're a million miles away from anyone else." He lifted a brow at that, a thick dark one over black eyes but he didn't correct her. "I'm heading out to Pony, are you heading anywhere near that direction? I'm afraid after the interstate, I kind of lost my bearings. I thought I was supposed to take that for a while yet but somehow I must have gotten off of it."

"You'll need to continue on 90, that's the road you just got off and continue that way until you reach Three Forks. From there you'll head south on 287. That turn is after the town, but it gets up on you fast if you're not careful and watch where you're going. It's not the easiest of roads."

"You mean we've been on the interstate this entire time? I thought for sure it was some highway at the kindest."

"Nope, you'll find that this is a cakewalk compared to 287. That's our highway. Though at times it seems more like a back road to the locals who get used to zipping along some of the paved streets from Billings to Helena."

"Locals?" Serena couldn't help the smile that spread against her lips this time. "Where are you heading?"

"About the same locale. Just north of it, there's a Ranch that I own that I'm heading out to oversee for a little while. They need help getting buckling down for the Winter."

"Oh." Serena didn't know what to say to that, he'd be around, but only for a short while. "That's why you're in a suit?"

The man looked down at himself ruefully. "I had a meeting that was delayed first a day then several hours. If I had any chance of beating this storm or the sunset, I had to take off straight away. Thankfully I have some winter provisions with me in the trunk. More than I can say about you, sunshine."

Serena usually bristled with nicknames, having gotten a few unflattering ones growing up. She'd had a few stages, a clumsy one, a sleeping one, one where she wore her hair in the most ridiculous style, two buns on either side of her head with the rest of her hair streaming from them and bangs. But she'd been independent and a free spirit and many people had responded warmly to her oddball way of thinking, and joy of life. Not that it was in full swing right now, she again didn't know why she'd agreed she hated the cold, responding so much better to sunshine. Which was the name he'd called her and which fit in so many ways, and not just for the two she'd already mentioned, but also that it fit her tan and hair coloring nicely. As dark as he was, she was as light. _Her_ eyes would never be black, no matter how dark it got in a room, they were overly bright and seemed to shine with an inner light, almost like two dwarf stars.

People could always see her in a crowd or pick her out in movie theaters. Whatever light was there, was easily reflected back in her eyes. Something he seemed unable to tear his away from. "Spectacular." She heard him mutter and then seemed to come back to himself. He seemed helpful enough, much more so than she had originally given him credit for at least. "Look, if you're not prepared for this weather it can sneak up and hit you broadsided. Come into town with me and we'll wait out the worst of it. I'll even treat you to dinner."

"It's all right, I've got the truck. Do you need a ride?"

He grinned at her again. "Have you got any chains?" It seemed he knew the answer before she even responded, probably because it wasn't the first thing she set out to do when they stopped. "No, I didn't think so. They didn't give them to you with the truck when you rented it?"

"Why do you think I rented it?"

"You're not from these parts. That isn't a day-glo lotion tan."

"Could have gotten it from a bed." Serena countered.

"Could have, but you don't seem the type. More like lazy days at the pool, or rather outdoor pools where you pounded out laps before going down to the beach to do something else physical. Then off to work during the worst of it."

That was true enough, she hadn't been burnt once since she moved to Florida. Her job kept her indoors during the worst of the heat and sun's rays, but she still got time both before and after to enjoy her time outdoors. She'd never known herself to be such an avid fan of surfing before then. He was right too about the pool and beach but he had the order mixed up, and work came in between.

"Right you are, but its not a rental, just a friend's. I was given snow-chains but I forgot them." She smiled hopelessly at him.

"Off to spend some time on the slopes? You're a bit early for that kind of vacation, though with that thing, maybe you would be wise to get there before the weather worsens. Though you'd have to stay awhile before you could get any sort of benefit out of it. Though remember to use sunscreen on the slopes, it might not be as sunny or hot as you're used to, but the rays are strong up there. Less atmosphere to fight through to get to you."

"I'll remember that." Serena wanted to sigh in frustration, she was enjoying her talk with him as both tanks filled, but it wasn't getting her any closer to her destination. "Any rate, I'd like to get a move on before the sun completely sets."

"I would too, but I don't think it'll be an option. The pass up ahead is dicey in fair weather and good lighting. Anyone will tell you to take a break here if you aren't lucky enough to get through it before the sun sets."

"I hadn't planned on staying here." Serena looked fretfully at the distance, in the way she thought she had to go.

"Pony's over there." The man pointed off in a direction over her left shoulder and she had to turn her head slightly. "You can't see it obviously, its still another two hours drive in better weather than this, but that's the general direction. You were looking more towards Four Corners."

"Three Forks, Four Corners." Serena mumbled to herself. "Next you'll be telling me Two Pennies and One Bowl."

"Close." He laughed at her expression. "Come on, we'll go settle up with the gas bill and then I'll treat you to a nice dinner at the Inn down the way, I know the owner, hook us up with a couple of rooms and tell you all about the landscape you've just stepped into. I'll even pitch in for a couple of snow-chains for the lot of us."

"You're talking as if a whole herd of clowns will come out of your car at any moment."

He laughed again, it was a deep, rich sound and she liked hearing him do it. If she had her way, she'd make him laugh often, or rather she'd settle for again, if she met him after this. "I can already tell I have to be careful with you, you're too easy to like."

Serena grinned at him and finished up with the truck, twisting the cap in place and closing the door. She walked with him up the station floor to pay. "I'm Serena." She gave him her name and her hand and he took both and returned it with his own.

"Darien." That was it, no last names, but they really didn't need to share that, this was an easy exchange between the two of them and when their hands touched, it became something a bit more. It surprised Serena, the intensity and fizzle that went up and down her arm, ricocheting about as if it had to be released somehow, now that he'd started it into motion.

They both paused and looked at each other again, their eyes locking. Serena noted, looking up like this and in better lighting and better distance that she was wrong. His eyes weren't black. They were a dark blue, like looking into a lake on a clear night and still unable to see beneath its mysterious surface, sparkling with the light of the thousands of stars and moon in the sky, but refusing it further entrance than just to gleam on its surface.

Serena smiled back the lump that formed in her throat, suddenly it was very dry and her palms were starting to get very slick. She pulled her hand away from his, but her gaze never faltered. He was breathing more difficultly too as he looked back at her, something secret and deep was going on, but she couldn't understand what. It was as if something was shifting inside her, down into the darkest resources of her being, as if a light was being ignited, emptiness was being fanned out, getting rid of the old and musky, rugs flapping against wall as it was beating out the dust. What would take its place? She couldn't say.

He swallowed, and held open the door for her like a perfect gentleman and allowed her to pay first and then he finished up and walked her back to her truck. He watched her unlock it, a smile tilting up the corner of his mouth. "Good thinking, locking your door, you can never know whose going to be sneaking in the back, waiting with an ax."

"Don't say things like that." Serena warned, well-versed in urban legends and darted a glance back behind her just in case, even careening over the chair to check if anyone was on the floor. Nobody. Thankfully the cab was quite small comparatively, and the bed was not accessible through the back window.

"Not that it would deter any would-be-serial-killer." He teased. "Want me to check under the car as well?" He swooped to do just that. "All clear."

"You mock, but it would be the perfect location for that."

"You watch too much television, city-girl." He smiled at her broadly, but he'd be giving her nightmares for a week if he didn't stop it. "It's safe out here. You'll learn that soon enough and you'll never want to go back to big city life again."

"I don't live big city life." She told him, leaning out the window slightly.

"No?" His eyes raked her and he didn't seem to believe her, no more than she would believe that he was restricted to farm work all his life. "Come on, I'll show you the way to the Inn. It'll probably be better if you follow, that way if I get stuck, you can push me out."

He tapped the hood of her car and then ducked into his car. She followed him, but she wondered why, everything thing he said she had to take at face-value. She hadn't known she was still on 90, but she was so worried about cross-traffic signs and looking for a gas station that she hadn't checked the mile markers or scant reminders, if there were any about what road they traveled. They could be in Idaho for all she knew and whatever he said, she'd believe. But why? Hadn't that been his way of warning her not to trust him? This talk of Urban Legends, or was it just teasing her that she was so paranoid to lock up with only him and the trucker and gas attendant on a night it was obvious no one was coming down that road, that she had to lock up? She hadn't seen or heard him lock or unlock his car, but the thing was so sleek it might not make any noise.

What had she to base anything on? That he was attractive in a sort of devilish, tough way? Or the fact that he looked so gloriously male? He had spoken kindly to her, but that was only after noticing that she was female, and she wasn't blind to the quick looks he'd shot her, obviously admiring, though not lewdly. More like he was appreciating, rather than imagining. She wasn't the skinniest girl in the world or the most curvy but he'd still found something to appreciate.

But what allowed her to trust him? Nothing. What allowed her to trust anyone? Nothing at all. She just did, often times detrimental to herself, but more often than not, proving a wise choice. She'd always been saved from too harsh a blow because of the other relationships she'd built. They'd always been there to support her if she did make a wrong choice in believing in someone.

So she was putting herself into the hands of a stranger. She was at his mercy but it was her way and when he lead her to a well-established looking Inn, she didn't even need to breath a sigh of relief, never doubting for a moment where he'd take her, that it was anything other than what he'd said. She found she was a pretty good judge of character.

He slung an overnight pack onto his shoulder and she looked for her carry-aboard. That would suffice for the night. It was in the back along with an emergency pack. She opened the door and looked down at the slush the dusk had gathered and then down at her shoes, sensible while flying, breathable and comfortable, but totally ill prepared for meeting snow and salt.

In the back, in one of the big bags were her UGG knock-offs, warm and comfortable like the overly expensive pair, but weather protected on the outside and rubber grips on the bottom of a two inch rubber platform rather than half an inch of foam. She wouldn't be wearing through a pair of those any time soon, unlike the real brand. They still gave the same look, but a bit more practical.

She jumped down into the snow and miscalculated how far she had to go. At least it wasn't a jarring thud like she had the first time she filled with gas, this time though, she found herself up to her knees in snow. Tugging down the case, she set it aside and locked up the door, slamming it shut with the keys looped around her fingers. Then she made the impossible attempt to get out of the knee deep snow.

She heard chuckling and then a slightly concerned voice. "Need help?" She twisted to see Darien at the hood of her car, looking at her. She nodded and he dropped his pack, took hers and set it next to him on the ground, where it had been paved, but was slightly icy looking. "Next time park a little further away from a snow bank, or at least have it on the passenger side." He didn't sound condescending, just offering her friendly advice as he walked easily along the top of the slightly crunchy snow. "And don't jump into it any more. You'll sink faster that way." By the time he pulled her out, he was already sinking and was two inches deep before they were moving somewhat quickly back towards the dropped cases. "If you are fast enough, and its firm enough, you won't sink too deeply too quickly and its sometimes easier than the road." He helped her down off the massive bank and jumped down beside her.

It was with pleasure she watched his feet go out from underneath him. He was wearing smooth soled shoes for the office and combined with the ice, not to mention carpet or slippery floors, he found himself on his rump. She had a feeling it was coming to him, not that he was high minded with her, but she had a sense that he was privately laughing at her, this girl so out of her depths. The problem was though, she wasn't, not completely at any rate.

She tried not to laugh, she really did as she inquired after him, but he'd been laughing at her and her misfortune the whole time. She held out her hand to help him up, but found herself on the ground with him. For a second she was intent on accusing him of doing that on purpose, but after a second's recall, she started laughing in earnest. She had lost the grip her feet had and when he put any weight on her, she had over balanced and ended up with him.

He wrapped an arm about her and hoisted them both up and together they half skated towards the entrance to the Inn. In some cases it was easier to walk, but doing so meant she had to pick out her steps a lot more, but skating always had the inherent risk of falling again she she let her feet get too far out from under her and was unable to catch herself again. It was really half a dozen to one either way.

They were laughing and they made an intimate picture as they arrived within the warm confines of the building. A few curious glances slid their way, but the other patrons were more interested in their companions or the fire to give them much notice. "Is Mrs. Shelby in?" Darien asked when they dropped the stuff off at the desk.

"Not yet, she will be in a few hours." The response from the man at the desk. He cast a wandering eye over Serena and she shifted slightly uncomfortable at the sweep. It froze and backed off hastily when his eyes met Darien's. She'd have to thank him some time for that.

"Well let me know when she gets in." Darien gestured to the bags. "Mind storing those for us while we have a bite to eat?" That was cleared away and she found herself at the table, being utterly charmed by this handsome stranger who was becoming not quite so strange.

She had never laughed more in her entire life, she swore at one point and he admitted to about as much for himself. "Where is it you are coming from, Serena?"

"Florida." She sighed happily at the thought of the beautiful beaches, warm sand, warm sun, swirling blues of the ocean, flecked with white as they capped. Her eyes slid to his and she was watching those waves crash not on the beach, but in those orbs. "What about you?"

"I was born and raised in Montana. Though I spent several years down in Chicago which took me other places in the world."

"That accounts for the sleek tailoring and fancy car." Serena murmured thoughtfully.

"It does." He agreed, and his fingers flicked at the bracelet around her wrist, she tried to ignore the burn at the touch of his fingers, what it did to her, how it started there but sneaked up her arm, setting a fire to the rest of her. And it was such an innocent touch. "Florida however does not answer my own questions. You look too nicely dressed to be a college student."

"College students are renowned these days for looking nicer than before." She retorted back. "However you are correct. I have been out for two years now, and my job pays me well enough."

"Model?"

Serenity shook her head. "Not that, was never tall or skinny enough."

"Not going to self-efface and say you weren't beautiful enough?"

"If you think models are beautiful... well that would depend on the type of the model, wouldn't it?" Serena caught herself before she stuck her foot in a generalization again.

"Victoria Secret models don't have to be tall and they're all sorts of curvy."

Serena's lips quirked at that. "I suppose you look at Victoria Secret models enough to know this?"

"Truthfully?" Darien inquired and Serena nodded. "I dated a few of them. None of them lasted more than a few dates."

"So that gives you credence on models fit for that catalog?"

"I do believe so." Darien grinned at her and while it was wide and almost perfectly even, up close she could see the small scar at the corner that made it just slightly lopsided. "At least as far as beautiful women are concerned." He added, noticing her eyes straying to his lips, and they were smooth, sensual lips, Serena dimly thought. Somehow she'd lost track of what they were talking about.

She blamed it on the wine he ordered with dinner, ordering an entire bottle meant to be shared by the two. Meaning she'd had close to half of it by the end of the meal. He'd even pointed out his favorite menu items and she'd gone with the one he recommended the most after a long day of traveling. "Why didn't you wait until tomorrow to come down?" Serena found herself asking, trying to distract herself from the overall pull his body had on her and his personality was matching it stroke for stroke.

"I would have, but my sisters have planned a huge event for tomorrow and I promised I'd be in attendance. I didn't want to risk this happening on the road tomorrow. I suppose I half planned to be waylaid here, though not with such extraordinary company."

"Oh stop." Serena felt a blush coming on and she tried to hide it, tried to stop it. She looked away and then felt two fingers under her chin, lifting her gaze back to his.

"It's the truth. I have never felt so relaxed in someone's company that wasn't family."

They ordered dessert and coffees, unwilling to break this spell that seemed to be cast over them just yet. Their conversations turned slightly more serious, but still with a comfort and ease which surprised both of them. It was also still light hearted and inquiring of their lives before they met. Not too many details were shared on either side, but just generalizations of their past, and of some vague aspirations of their future.

When the coffees were drained and the desserts cleared away, they walked in companionable silence towards the front desk. Mrs. Shelby was there and she was a cute little thing, hardly older than Darien and bustled about for a minute on the computer. "I'm sorry Darien, but there's only one room available. Perhaps you'd like to see it? There's two beds and a couch. If I had known you were coming, I would have cleared your usual room, but we've got a Harley convention going on now, this snow storm really knocked us all for a loop. It was supposed to still be fall colors up here for the next two weeks, and the snow has snowed in several groups that would have only been too happy to pass through. It's good for business, but bad for you, I guess."

There was the option of the room and the use of the common place couch, and after being shown the room, Serena figured it was better than having no room at all. "You can take the room." Darien announced when Mrs. Shelby left. "I'm friends with the cook staff and can probably weasel out a hot drink and some bedding."

"This is crazy!" Serena argued. "You're more than welcome to the other bed. There's a whole couch and two walk ways between us around it. Its better you sleep on the other bed rather than cramped on the couch, especially after being cramped in your car."

"How come you think I'm cramped in the car?"

"I see how tall you are." Serenity stated without hesitation.

He grinned toothily at her. "You've never been inside one, have you? They're surprisingly roomy. I'll have to take you for a spin in Pony."

"If we can get there, if there's no snow in the near future, then I might take you up on that." Serena stubbornly refused to think of why that might not be possible. There were no rules written to say she couldn't do just that.

"At any rate, we're diverging. You don't need to allow me to stay in here if you're uncomfortable. I'm a virtual stranger, you never know what I could do to you once the lights are out."

"You lead me here, didn't you?" Serena stated calmly, knowing he was speaking from concern over her apparent trust in all she met. "You could have taken me anywhere and I would have followed, but you did as you said you would, and if the same holds true tonight, then we'll be in the clear."

"And if I don't?"

"There's nothing keeping me here and not sleeping on that couch where people drift by occasionally either guests or staff. I'd probably be safer out there anyway."

"You're not sleeping out there." His tone broke no arguments and she lifted a blond brow at his words. "You'll be in here and I assure you, I will not make the first move. You'll be safe with me."

"I always thought so." Serena soothed and took her back and put it on the folding rack she found in the closet. "So it's settled, and we'll both stay here for the night."

"All right." Darien tried to match her tone and expression and after a moment they both started cracking up. "Would you like to go down for a night cap with me?"

She nodded and one night cap turned into two and several hours of sitting by the fire, talking about nothing and laughing at interesting anecdotes about people they met throughout their life or funny moments. Serena's head rested on Darien's shoulder as she looked into the fire and he sat perfectly, gentlemanly still next to her.

They were alone now and had been for quite some time, not noticing as the others filed out. Her hand covered his and she ran her fingers along the long strokes of his hands. His hands dwarfed hers by almost double and they clenched around her hand. "Serena..."

"Would it surprise you to learn that I wasn't quite so innocent as you've seemed to be making me out as? I can tell by the terms you use, the way you talk to me, how you hold back." She removed her head from his shoulder and looked up at him. "A few comments you've directed at me, seem to make it seem as if I'd never do some of the things women in your life have, no matter how fleeting they were or how close."

"I wasn't su- you aren't as brazen as many of the women I've known. There is a purity about you that can't be diminished even if you've been intimate with men. It's in your heart." He drew a heard on her captured hand to punctuate his words.

"If I wanted-"

"All you have to do is say the word. I want it too, wanted it from the moment I saw your eyes holding mine, demanding I saw you, demanding that I fall in line with whatever it was you wanted. Imagine my charinge when my fantasies took flight and all you'd wanted were directions."

"Did it bruise your ego a little?" Serena batted her lashes up at him. "If it makes you feel any better, the moment I saw you, I wanted you too. I had to stop myself from mentally undressing you before I addressed you or we'd find ourselves inappropriately sprawled out in a gas station in the cold."

Darien chuckled at the image. "I would never have allowed that to happen. I'd have at least gotten you inside the cab of your truck." His fingers on one hand lifted from hers to draw lines along her jaw. "Only if you're sure."

"I am." Serena leaned the short distance between them and made the first move, her lips slipping over his and was unexpected for the passion that flared up so greatly within her, though the signs had been there all night, with every little touch, it had been impossible to ignore the fire burning within for him. It was hard to tear away for a long time and they did, just to go back to the room they shared.

Darien held her at the door though, once it clicked shut. "I need to know-" He rasped, fighting not to take her into his arms and forget anything else.

"I'm covered, but I'd still rather you- because-"

Darien shook his head. "That's all right, I have protection, but, I need to know, is there anyone? Husband?"

"No."

"Boyfriend?"

"Nope." She smiled at him. "I'm a free bird."

"I don't know how it's remotely possible. You're amazing." He dragged her bodily against him and kissed her with such skill and passion she almost forgot herself as she returned it. His words had stirred something in her, but he didn't know her all that well, did he?

She freed her head from his grasp and pushed him away slightly. He froze for all of a second and then he was wrenching his hands off her, holding them up, showing her that he'd do as she wanted, and if she wanted to stop, he would. She tugged him back to her, putting his hands at her hips, but she put hers on his chest. She could feel his fingers softly rounding into her flesh there, curling in a way that was both possessive and uncontrolled as if he couldn't get enough of touching her. That went both ways, she noted as her hands did the same at his chest. "I need to know now, myself, is there a female in your life?"

"Yes." He said and at her face, he smiled down at her. "Two in fact." When her face troubled further and she was going to push him away, his hands covered hers on his chest. "My sisters are a very big part of my life. They try to run it whenever I'm around and when I'm not, they try to get me to come back." He lifted her hands and kissed both of them. "I don't have a wife or girlfriend. In fact I never do this, I prefer commitment in my relationships before going this far, but we've connected in a way that I haven't done with a woman in a long time, and especially not so quickly. We don't have to let this get any further tonight. We'll have all the time in the world over the next few days."

Serena grinned at him. "I don't think I could last that long." And she pushed him back into the bed. He went willingly and tugged her in after him.

"Thank god for that. I worried for a minute you'd try to slow this down."

"Try and stop me."

–

In the early morning hours, Darien's hand rested on her belly, and he held her close. "What are you doing in Montana Serena?"

"I-" She hesitated. "I'm here for a job." That was as close to the truth as she was going to get, and in many ways it was true. There was a job lined up for her here.

"I'm glad it brought you out here. I hope you enjoy it as much as you're hoping." He sighed heavily. "Montana winters can be pretty tough if you're not careful and you're dragging yourself out from sunny Florida to practically the middle of nowhere. Internet is spotty on the best of days, despite my intentions to make it work throughout the town, having put up the bill at the Ranch. I can't even guarrantee it'll work there." He kissed the top of her head when she didn't respond, just listening. "The telephones work well enough, but cell reception is weak. Running water is a godsend when its working, frustration when its not."

"You make it sound as if this isn't a resort town."

"It is, and they try their best, but those who come here verses those in Wyoming or Colorado or even Arizona, Utah or California know its the wilds they're after and not something completely cushioned. They accept if something goes off and the hotel doesn't usually have problems."

"As long as there's heat and a shower at least _once _a week, then I'm doubtful to complain." Though she had been complaining a lot to herself on this trip, but somehow his presence just made anything bearable. Made all the troubles seem to go far away.

"I hope so. I'd hate to see you run from this country before you even got a chance to properly see it in all its glory. Before we got to see this thing to its end." Though Serena had a sinking suspicion after the passion of the last few hours, that wouldn't be any time soon.

–

The next morning they ate together and then got in their respective vehicles and only stopped for gas one more time. The snow seemed to have gone by dawn's first light, a strange mix of blues and pinks that Serena had never seen in the morning, but had been awake with him to watch it come in. He'd promised to show her how to put the chains on, but it seemed that they were no longer necessary. But he promised he'd show her before he headed back to Billings or she did, which ever came first.

At the gas station he pulled her into his arms again while the cars were filling up and kissed her soundly. "I'll pick you up sometime this week after my sisters' party and take you out somewhere."

"That sounds seriously vague." Serena frowned. "If you don't want to-"

"Don't _want_ to?" Darien sounded almost scandalized. "Serena after yesterday, disregarding our amazing night together, how can you doubt my intentions? We make a great pair, I'm sure we could talk for hours a month from now and never run out of things to say!"

Serena couldn't help but feel warmed by that comment. And as long as Darien was just making fly in visits to his Ranch, things would work out perfectly. "And if we don't discard our night together-?"

"You're fishing." He teased her and kissed the tip of her nose. "It was... I don't think I have any words now either."

Serena beamed up at him. "It was the same for me, you know that." She had told him so and the second and third time had not disappointed either or was any less spectacular.

"I like hearing you say it though."

"Now who's fishing?" She teased right back.

Unfortunately their cars were done and they had to pay and then with a quick kiss Darien let her get back into the cab and he jaunted off to his sleek sports car. The rest of the way was uneventful and when they got to his Ranch, he invited her in for a meal or a quick snack. She was reluctant to turn him down. "I've got to get down to the resort. I'm already two days late, they'll be worried about me. I haven't been able to get through since the airport."

"Must be satellites shifting again." Darien sighed and held his arms open for her. She moved into them easily and without thinking. "You'll have to get the hotel's number. I'm surprised you don't have that already. It's strange you called one of their cells."

"It was easier that way, they were moving about when I called and I forgot to input the hotel's main number into my phone."

Darien hummed, though he was much rather interested in the girl in his arms than trying to figure out one more mystery surrounding her. She was grateful that he was distracted, she had a keen suspicion that he was rather too sharp to let it go otherwise. He gathered her close and kissed her, she clung to him like a woman starved for satisfaction, though she'd had plenty of that and more the night before. He groaned. "Don't go, stay here. I'll call down to the lodge and inform them that you were having car trouble and stopped off here for a little while first."

"I _can't_." Serena didn't want to go any more than he wanted her to go. "Besides, you have a party you need to help set up and tweak." She smiled up at him softly. "But I'm not going far."

–

"Serena!" Arms bandied about her, big, overly-hairy, muscular arms that were nothing like the ones that held her last night, lifted her clear of the ground and spun her around in his joy at seeing her unexpectedly. "How come you have been standing out here in the cold? I thought you'd come straight in. I've missed you!" Then he set her back on her feet and kissed her full on the mouth.

It startled her but she didn't pull away, quite aware they had an audience. An audience indeed.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

–

"Got your overnight pack?" He asked, taking out her heavier ones from the bed. "How'd the truck run for you? Get in any trouble?" He wrapped an arm about her waist as he carried the two bags in his other hand. She couldn't believe it, she needed both hands to carry the one.

"Yes and good and not really. The snow was pretty bad yesterday and I'd sheer forgotten the chains and so had to stop in a town on the way. I tried to reach you, but it went straight to voice mail."

He tried laughing it off, but she could see the anguish in his eyes. "I'd blame it on the spotty reception, but in truth I turned it off. Lizzy's been hollering at me like a banshee. One would think she's the one nicknamed monkey growing up."

"She's worried about you. We all are, Andrew." Serena reached up and tenderly touched his face. Darien wasn't the only one with scars. His were just healed over better. "You took off for this place with nary a word and then I came as soon as I could get away for a length of time."

"I'm glad you came, I'm eternally grateful that you did." He held her hand against his face. "I'm fine, I've had time to cool off, but then I realized the pickle I'm in." He took her hand between them and rubbed his fingers over her hand, massaging it. "Have you got your ring?"

"Oh yeah, I completely forgot to put it on." She dug into her purse, into the small pocket within the pocket, each with their own zips and pulled out the two rings her mother used to wear. They slipped onto her finger, a little too large, but not too noticeable. "There." She held out her hand for his inspection. He looked at it for a moment and then raised it to his lips and kissed the back of her ring finger at the knuckle. "Perfect, my darling wife."

He was smiling into her eyes and she smiled warmly back. "Now come on, time I met them, don't you think?" She could feel their eyes peering out through the window, curious about her and Andrew.

The moment she stepped in, women flocked around her and started talking all at once. She was pretty sure her hand was lifted and gawked at. Andrew could probably hardly be expected to pay for such an engagement ring, but she had some story about how he worked hard and surprised her with it when she had been content with something much simpler.

Then a woman with raven dark hair and matching eyes approached with an air of finesse, Serena felt something inside shift, a foreboding that this was not a woman to be trifled with. "We were all worried about you. We feared something happened."

"Andrew, silly man that he is, let his battery drain and I had misplaced the hotel's number." Serena smoothed valiantly. She could feel his hands at her waist and felt him shift so he could nod and draw Serena closer to the other woman.

"This is Raye, she owns the lodge with her sister Amy."

"I run the front of the house." Raye clarified. "Amy does the books. Our friend, Lita runs the back of the house in the restaurant and occasionally dabbles in front of the house as well in the restaurant section." She clapped her hands and the birds around them scattered off to finish cleaning or whatever else they needed to do. Serena took a sigh of relief at the absence of so many voices asking her so many questions all at once. Questions she didn't want to answer.

She found she also liked Raye's strong, gentle command, though there was a fiery passion below the surface that warned Serena not to get on her wrong side. But then she smiled and Serena was sure she was reminded of another smile and all at once, she was at ease. She had a feeling that she needn't worry about getting on her wrong side.

"I shall introduce you as we reach them." Raye smiled again and it softened her whole face, making her look years younger, more like Serena's own age.

As they walked, Andrew's hand slipped into Serena's and he squeezed her hand gently, reassuringly and she smiled up through her lashes at him. She got another squeeze on her hand and she squeezed his back. "This is to be your rooms." Raye opened the door to give them entrance. "Andrew's already set up in here, but it could use with a feminine touch, I think to keep him in line. It was established with a family unit in mind, one for the parents and one or two for the children. In the past we've hired on a few singles, but that didn't work as well as we'd hoped. You can use the spare room as an office or something." There were three room in total, an established office that could have been transformed for a nursery if need be, the master room and another spare room as well as another bathroom. Raye seemed uninterested in what they'd use the last room for, probably storage for their luggage and ski gear.

"I hope the two of you work out." Raye continued after Andrew dropped the luggage into the master room and giving Serena a rueful look. "You seem like a perfectly normal, loving couple, but there have been contenders in the past who have tried to mislead us. Although you are here to work, not just a romantic holiday on the slopes. Though there will be plenty of time in the evenings to do what married couples do best." She winked, and Serena caught sight of a slight mound growing on Raye's belly when she turned away.

Serena blinked several times and then sought out Raye's hand, but it was ringless. "I'm sure Andrew's informed you of our policies. If not, I don't mind sharing. We've tried singles, but they always ended up hopping together in the sack or picking out singles that they've taught. One or two have been all right, but if they weren't inappropriately hooking up with guests, then they haven't been that great of instructors. Then we've tried a dating couple and that ended in a break up. Then we had an engaged couple last year, but apparently that gave them free license to stray. Later I learned that they hadn't been together at all, but rather they were only pretending to be engaged so they could meet our guests. So this year we decided to have only a married couple. I'm hoping that it will work out, if it does, then you can stay about for as long as you like. Already Andrew's fitting in nicely with our clientele. They've all responded warmly with his affable temperament and gentle yet firm coaxing. You can be proud of your husband, Serena, he's wonderful."

Serena beamed, completely pleased by this announcement and not at all surprised. "I've always told him to go for it, he's got such a kind spirit. He's got a knack for teaching too, always able to explain things well to me I didn't understand. When he got done the first time through, I usually understood about 90% of the content and was able to go from there."

"In fact, if it wasn't for Serena, I wouldn't be where I am today. She's always urging me on to do what I want." Andrew grinned down at her. "I'd be lost without you."

Serena shook her head, he was giving her far too much credit and she would have said so if Raye didn't clear her throat. "Well, yes. I can see that you two are genuine. I've had my mistrusts before, but you seem like you've known each other quite well for years."

Serena looked at Raye curiously then, was the proud girl fighting tears in her eyes? Instead of questioning her on it, Serena looked for something else to dwell on momentarily. "Are you only teaching?" That seemed an awfully big waste of his talents.

"Only the advanced courses. They say some other bloke is coming in to teach the kiddies."

"Hey, not all students in the beginning stages are kids." Serena protested, herself would probably included in that assessment.

He tweaked her nose. "I think I'll stick to my claims."

She glowered at him for a moment and then realized Raye was talking again. "Actually Serena, you are quite correct. Not all beginners are kids, just like not all advanced students are adults, Andrew."

Andrew tossed her a flirty smile that meant nothing. "Oh we know, we just like giving each other a hard time." He tugged Serena close again and they continued walking. "However I'm not just teaching to ski, I'm teaching some of the basic medical procedures as first responders up on the hills." Serena nodded, he'd been taking classes like that when they were students, and had become certified quickly and then become instructor himself. "It's a bit more challenging on real hills." He teased her and she rolled her eyes. "I'm also going to be heading search and rescue once I get more familiarized with the terrain. In the meantime though I'll be busy enough learning the ropes for what I do have on my plate."

"With plenty of time for the- bedroom." Raye tossed back at them, grinning like the chestier cat in Alice in Wonderland.

"Are you married, Raye?" Serena asked as they caught up with her, they had been shown several rooms and told what they were used for, but Serena had only half paid attention.

The cool look Raye had maintained after her last insinuation faltered a little. "No. My boyfriend and I haven't decided that marriage is the right choice for us."

Serena knew well enough to leave it alone. Whatever the reasons, a decision had been made, however temporarily and she wasn't going to stick her foot in it. The stink never did leave you.

It was probably for the best because they were coming upon a woman who had the right coloring to be a sister, but compared to Raye, she was a slight thing. She had all of the poise and assurances though of her sister, even if she looked _haute__couture_ to her sister's more rounded edges, even before pregnancy. Serena suspected Raye was a true bombshell. Narrow waist, and curves on both ends that were the same number. Amy, when she was introduced could wear sheath dresses to her heart's content and never worry about a weird bump. Where Raye was sexy, Amy was classic.

Serena felt slightly overweight compared to these two women, but was firm enough in her own body that she knew she was physically active and fit. Besides, Darien had not one complaint about her the whole night long, in fact it was quite the opposite. It felt good to be lavished such praise upon but what added a twinkle to her eyes was not his words, but the way he made her feel, cherished, trusted. She could have something very real with that man, and she prayed it would all work out.

"Amy, this is Andrew's wife, Serena." Raye introduced with a warm hug and kiss on both cheeks with her sister. Amy kissed Andrew on both cheeks as well and then turned to look at Serena.

She held Serena with her hands on both upper arms and gave a searching look. "Serena? I thought Andrew's wife's name was-"

"An unfortunate nickname I received in college, I met a group of girls who thought I looked more like that than a Serena and it stuck for awhile, since I didn't care and I liked them. They had a tendency to do that to everyone they met. After awhile I reasserted that my name was in fact Serena and we had a drifting of ways."

Amy's lips pursed at the story and then she smiled. "Welcome, Serena." And then there were quick brushes of lips to her cheeks as Amy greeted Serena properly.

"I'm afraid my sister has decided to maintain the Italian in our family genealogy. It's faint now, but still present I suppose." Raye commented dryly, watching Serena's face as Amy lavished upon her her first acceptance onto their property.

"French, Raye, not Italian, how many times must I tell you?"

"It's the Italians that-" Serena begun but Raye was already shaking her head.

"Leave it Serena, Amy doesn't care which part of our blood she's emulating It's a war best left untouched."

Serena couldn't help the smile that blossomed on her face. She couldn't help it, she rather enjoyed these two sisters. Serena looked around as Rye started explaining what Amy did and Amy even showed her a few things. But Serena had seen Amy locking something as she got up from her desk and walked towards them. Now that key swung along the front of her black shift dress, the silver gleaming in the light. Just what was Amy hiding from wandering eyes?

Amy didn't speak much, just watched everything with thoughtful eyes. She captured right away the pose of familiarity and closeness between their newest employees. Serena watched as she gave a slight nod about it and then turned to question Raye on something. "Has our dear brother arrived yet?"

"No, but knowing him, he'll put it off 'till the last possible moment." Raye responded, then gestured to the others. "You haven't spoken properly to our new employee yet."

Serena realized that Raye meant her, and she started a bit. "Really, it's not-"

"No, she's right, I'm sorry, I am not very good with speaking to strangers." Amy ran her fingers through her short straight hair, cut longer in front and shorter in back and styled smooth to meet at the back in edgy spikes. Everything about these two women fascinated Serena, they were just so... _cool_.

Yet they were also warm in their own ways. Andrew startled Serena before she could form a response to Amy's admittance. "Don't worry about a think, Amy." He grinned roguishly at her and Serena saw Amy blush slightly at the attention. "Serena's great at talking to anyone and you'll never notice that you're not required to respond to her endless chatter."

"Please, you're making me sound like I'm a nuisance." Serena was warmed by the half-praise. "But I'm sure we'll find plenty to talk about." Serena agreed, looking at Amy. "I have so much to learn from the two of you and not only the business side. I haven't met two sisters that I've been envious of their fashion sense in a long time."

Raye and Amy were both wearing black but for some reason though the color was the same, they managed to make black look chic-er than it had ever been. "We just know how to fit our bodies. That's another thing, Serena, you're allowed to wear whatever you want, as long as its black if you're in the lodge."

"But I won't be, right?" Serena never had any interest in working in a hotel, even one like this. She also didn't want to wait tables any more. Andrew said he'd lined the job up for her but he didn't specify which.

"No, Andrew said that your last job was in marketing." Amy spoke up, and from the way she seemed more at ease with Andrew, Serena had a feeling that they spent a fair amount of time together.

"Oh." That was news to Serena, as far as she knew, she hadn't stepped foot in a marketing firm since her freshman year of college, before she'd changed her degree four months in. She was not prepared to take up that mantle.

"It's nothing major." Raye quickly covered, seeing the look of panic briefly flash across Serena's face. "We have a website already up and everything for both the lodge and hills, but we'd like to get a bit more publicity. We fill up over the holidays but the rest of the season its at half mass. Not to mention the summer time. We cater to a very special clientele right now and we'd like to keep the type, but expand in... financial brackets. It's a bit too exclusive at the moment and we'd like to show others that there are rooms available for them."

"Have you tried specials or lowering the cost of basic style rooms?"

"No." Raye beamed. "See, you're already thinking ahead! This is just the type of thing we'd love to get up and running. But we don't expect you to do it quite yet. We'd like for you to meet our regulars who stay all season long and some who never want to seem to move out unless they have a business trip. That way it will give you a better idea on how to market to the untapped group we're looking for."

"Where will I be working and what must I wear while doing so?"

"Whatever you want." Raye shrugged. "You won't be in the lodge or restaurant. There's an office above the rental shop that would probably suit you. We haven't had anyone in it in years. Our brother used to use it when he lived here full time, but since he's gone so much, it's sat empty. I'm sure he won't mind, it's been gathering dust."

"That sounds perfectly nice." Serena though was sprinting through a mental checklist. On her computer there were old college information for how to run a successful advert campaign and instructors that could probably help her. Programs that she was sure she hadn't deleted yet, ways that could help her with this unexpected task. She thought they were just going to throw her into something that was uninspiring and out of the way. Perhaps selling tickets or in the retail shop. She'd never had to do all this..

"Wait 'till you see it." Amy grinned secretively. "And don't worry, Andrew reminded us just recently that you weren't tasked with running your own team or anything, you were just one mind helping to put something together. We understand that this will take time and you're not expected to be perfect. We just thought we'd put your skills to use while your here. You'll make more money than your husband."

Serena had to stop herself from asking 'Who?' and nodded dumbly. Andrew's hand squeezed her shoulder. "I've never minded that she makes more money. I expected it when she went to university and passed through in four years only because she didn't want to leave earlier than that so she could experience the whole thing."

"I always thought you'd be the financially successful one. You always did better than most in school." She replied back, looking up at him, silently thanking him for distracting her. "And sports."

"We went to a small school. Besides, I just followed my passion rather than what I was good at." Andrew grinned at the sisters. "I got my degree and threw it in a drawer, thanks to Serena here."

Serena did shoulder that responsibility. She'd asked Andrew once he finished with more asterisk on his degree than it could hold what he wanted to do now and he couldn't answer her. So she suggested that he take a year off to do something fun to think about it. And now look where he was. Not that she was snobby, he was happy and that's all that mattered and his other skills were being used too. He'd graduated with a few courses in EMT and other emergency response skills not to mention lots of math and sciences. Though he wasn't very business minded in the traditional sense. He hated facts and figures and balancing the books. He just wanted to do what he loved and get paid for it. She wouldn't shun him for that at all. That's what she'd been doing with her life too.

"Seems she's been good for you. We're certainly thankful for her level-headed suggestions." Amy glanced away from Andrew to Serena now. "And we thank you for sharing him these last few months for training. I know you had to finalize things with your job and so couldn't be out here right away. It must have been tough, that time apart."

Serena reached back and gripped Andrew's hand. "It certainly wasn't easy or fun. I did miss him, terribly." She smiled up and her eyes clearly showed that to be the truth. His responded back with warmth.

"Ah, you're breaking my tender heart." Raye started laughing. "Come on, I've still got a few more people you must meet. See you later Amy."

"Bye. It was nice to see you again Andrew and very nice to meet you, Serena."

On the walk away from the sister, Serena looked up at Andrew. "Seems you've built up a nice repertoire with Amy."

"And Raye." Andrew tapped Serena on her upturned nose. "We've had to work closely together, side by side, shoulder to shoulder for the last month. They've either been schooling me in their policies and Montana's laws or making sure I've been getting the right training from the other members of the staff."

"You're going to be very important here, aren't you?"

"Yeah." Andrew didn't hide it. "I've actually had to take over the jobs of a few people here. The last guy who had my position took with him some of the other employees and drove out some of the lifers. So they've had to make some cut backs. They're so pleased to have you here to help bring their numbers around again."

"Remind me to thank you for that privately, later." Serena's tone promised due commupance for that little surprise, but it still maintained most of the good humor she possessed. Andrew knew better, but Raye turned and gave a conspiratorial smile before looking on ahead again. Raye thought that Serena was going to actually _thank_ Andrew, and in the way a wife usually thanked her husband for helping out above anything she thought he needed to do or could.

"I'll mark it on the calender." Andrew's voice was teasing and then he held open the door for both women. "You'll like this one."

"I've liked them all so far."

"Lita!" Andrew's voice sang into the _amazingly _modern kitchen. They came in through the backdoor so Serena didn't get to see the restaurant, but if this is what the back looked like, Serena was hesitant to see the front. For if she did, she doubted she'd ever leave.

Serena hadn't seen Andrew so peppy for a long time and when the woman he was excited to see came into view, Serena understood why. She had to be the most gorgeous woman Serena had ever seen. What was it and this backwoods place in Montana that drew such beautiful girls? If she thought Raye was a bombshell, this woman put Raye to shame. She made Raye seem like a simple hour-glass figure.

Lita was model height, and all male fantasies rolled into one. She had a larger top number than lower, but it was hardly noticeable and her legs went on forever. Her waist went on forever. How could one so skinny possibly be the restaurant's chef? Wasn't there a saying about never trusting a skinny chef? Her skin was tan and smooth, not one single line or nick marred her face, though her hands were obviously chef hands. Her hair was long and gleaming, a chestnut color that was only shades darker than her sun-touched skin tone. If Darien had commented on Serena being tan, this girl beat her hands down, but she wasn't olive like Raye or her sister. She had a rosy complexion base. Her eyes stood out the most, they were a Kelly green. What really set her apart from most though was the dusting of sprinkles across the bridge of her nose and under her eyes. It added an air of innocence that her shape wouldn't dictate and a freshness of youth.

It took a moment for Serena to unstick her tongue from the roof of her mouth. Well at least she felt like a normal weight, even if she might be the least pretty girl in the entire building. Lita grinned a perfectly white, even smile at them and shook Serena's hand before she even knew it was taken up. "I'm so happy that you've come. Andrew's been poking his nose around the kitchen far too often, he gets underfoot."

Serena felt the strong grip the girl had and was aware of the strength that she had to have from working back here, but she didn't look it. In her white chef's apron, she looked positively defenseless. "It's only because he has no one to cook for. Now that I'm here, I'm afraid you'll never see either of us unless the other is working."

"I don't want to hear that." Lita jokingly put her hands up to her ears to cover them. While Serena only meant that Andrew was a fabulous cook, if he had someone to cook for, Lita took it a lot more personally. Serena didn't correct her as it only added weight to what they told everyone.

"Except for tonight." Raye piped in. "You can't hide off in your little lover's retreat tonight. I'm expecting both of you here at six. We're going to have cocktails and then dinner and then dancing and more cocktails."

"What for?"

"Most of our regulars get in about this time of year and expect some type of welcome party. It's too early for the holiday celebrations but we've always put one on now. Especially because its about the only time I can get my brother over here, so we do it to entice him back for the following year. It's kind of like a welcome home party, but for all those who return."

"It's black tie." Lita added. "I've finally finished the final touches to this year's cake. I've really out done myself this time."

"The food's ready?"

"Always." Lita grinned and she seemed so light-hearted. Serena agreed with Andrew's assessment, she did like her too.

"All right, well that's all for now." Raye picked up her clipboard again. "I've shown you everyone you need to meet right now. There's others you'll meet at the party and tomorrow when the grounds keeper comes back I'll introduce the two of you then. Oh, and there's also security. You'll get a name tag, but its a pretty easy format and you'll hardly ever use it. Only to get into your office and some of the restricted areas in back. You can scan them and they act as a key."

There was state of the art name tag scanning here but then also one of those old style locks for their rooms? Old world charm for the residences and guests, but state of the art gadgets for the employees. Serena wasn't going to complain. Definitely not. "Thanks Raye, for showing me around."

"Just part of my job." But there was a hint of compassion in her voice. "I'm just glad you decided to actually come. When Andrew said there had been an unexpected delay, I worried you'd changed your mind. Meeting you now, the two of you not only seem a genuine couple, but genuine people and though its only been a short while since I've met either of you, I have good feelings." This time Raye did smile. "Now, off you go, you need to change."

Raye left the room and it was up to Andrew and her to get back to their room. Thankfully Andrew knew the way like he'd been here since birth. "It does get easier." Andrew commented on the walk back, our hands linked. I look up at him unsure and he smiled down. "Getting around. It's confusing at first but it does get easier."

She gulped and glanced quickly around. "And the other?"

"That's- definitely hard and I feel bad, but I'd hate to leave them in a lurch after all the time they spent training me and I _love_ this job and it hasn't even really started yet. Thank you for coming out Serena, I think you'll like it here too." His hand tightened momentarily and Serena knew he was thinking that if she didn't, he couldn't stop her from getting on the first plane out of here. That would mess everything up, and she wouldn't do that to him. She was here for him and she'd stick out any unpleasantries. He was talking again. "Hopefully by the end of the season I can tell them and it'll work out."

Serena frowned at him, not liking this situation, but when he looked at her like that, she couldn't say no. She relaxed and waved for him to finish leading the way. "They seem like wonderful women to work with. Especially that Lita."

"She's married." Andrew put a ca-bosh to her subtle hinting and Serena looked at him in surprise. "No rings, I know, but that's because she's afraid she'll either lose it in a meal or it'll get stuck in a machine or it'll get damaged. It's best not to wear it when she's working. Though it's never far, it's in her purse in her locker." Andrew hesitated. "He's actually on the ski patrol with me."

"He's pretty good at skiing?"

"Yeah, not a teacher, far too impatient, but he's a great guy." Andrew grinned. "He'll love you, he loves meeting new people and buying them drinks. He also doubles as a bartender at times."

"Is that a warning?"

"Just a heads up that if you don't watch your drink intake, you'll end up on your back." Andrew wrapped an arm around her. "But I'll make sure you don't make too much of a scene."

"Oh, my knight in shining armor." She quipped and they were laughing as they entered their shared space.

Andrew closed the door behind them. "Make sure you don't push it all the way in, otherwise it won't unlatch properly. I've learned that myself a few times already, getting myself stuck on the outside of this door. Inside too on an occasion. I hated having to make those calls. Now I've got it down, so if you have any problems, you can just ring me."

"If you're here." Serena reminded him. "You've got a pretty busy schedule."

"Not to worry, fair maiden, I shall be here if you need me! It might just take me a half hour to do so. Those lifts go on forever."

She hadn't had time to see them yet, though they were just on the other side of the resort, people could walk out from their room and ski down the hill. Getting back up would be trickier without a ticket. Andrew had been sure to tell her all about them over the phone these last several weeks. He walked into the master and then came back out with her cases, even the overnight pack slung over his shoulder and he opened one of the bedroom doors, the one that wasn't supposedly an office/storage room and set the cases down again. "Thanks Andrew." She smiled at him and he came over to give her a large hug.

"No, thank _you_. Thank you for coming out here and doing this. You're one in a million." He looked back at her room. "Do you need any help unpacking?"

"Not yet. I think I'll just take out some of the sleepwear and the stuff I need for tonight." She let him off the hook and returned his hug before moving off. "I've got so much to do before that though, shower, dry, and apply."

"Not to mention dress."

"That's all part of the apply process." Serena tossed him a broad grin before the door shut behind her.

–

Now she was standing in a room with a fireplace, waiting for Andrew to finish up, he'd been called for an emergency meeting and hadn't had the time to get dressed. So he'd sent her up ahead of him, telling her he'd meet her there. Raye had told her to wait in this room and if Serena didn't know better, she'd say it was a library. She'd gotten further information out of Raye in the meantime. The lodge used to be the family home and had been for generations until her parents died several years back. Her brother was responsible for keeping everyone together and had even been pivotal in keeping the house and using it as an income rather than a drain.

The way Raye talked about him, made him seem very impressive indeed. He worked in an impressive office in Washington DC. When Serena asked about it, wondering if it was a government agency, she'd never gotten a response as Raye was needed after-all for the small emergency. Raye apologized and disappeared out of the room, her red skirt following her.

So now Serena was alone in the room, waiting for others to finish up. Apparently when someone said six, they really meant six-thirty around here. One of the shelves of booked moved and she knew it was a door opening. Serena turned, ready to greet the visitor, excited that there was someone to talk to and her breath caught all over again. He was just as handsome as he was the first time she saw him, but she felt bad for the thought that suddenly rushed to her head. _'Ah crap!'_


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

AN: There are a few things you'll just have to accept, ok? I know I do it a lot when I read books or stories. It's a make-believe land and life. So if they have a rule with only married couples allowed to work there, and there's good reason, then that's how it goes. They have the right to refuse service and the right to hire on people that don't fit the environment they're creating. It's a bit, in regards to that, a little like Dirty Dancing meets small town morals. And as for Raye, they are used to people swinging in and everything but while Raye would be a shocker, she is well established as being a mostly good girl, and again, small towns... hehe... they'd take kinder to that (possibly) than someone there on new engagement and having their way through all the guests and town members. As for Raye's mentality itself, well, that's Raye and you'll find out more about it later on. She's not completely small town, she knows about life outside her community. So if anyone else has a problem, can we use, what's the term? Suspension of disbelief? Let's just use that now, ok? Thanks! (I really appreciate all of your reviews, they're nice to see :D)

* * *

"Darien!" Serena couldn't help the shocked word that ripped from her throat. He hadn't seen her at first and when he did he stopped short, looking at her in just as much surprise, but then he was cutting across the ground like scissors through wrapping paper and she found herself in his arms.

"Serena." He was pleased to see her, the warmth to his voice was impossible to hide and before she could protest, he was kissing her.

She sank against him, putty in his hands. She sighed happily and her hands turned from resisting to holding him. She returned the kiss, though at the back of her mind there was a voice saying she shouldn't do this, she had to talk to him while there was still time.

But then he was pulling away to talk to her. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm working here." Serena responded and she saw him look at her sharply. "What?"

"Raye didn't say anything about a new employee here. I thought you were going to go work for someone else in town."

"Raye?" Serenity felt her stomach clench in fear, was he the boyfriend that deem it important to marry his pregnant girlfriend?

"Yeah, she runs the place." He set her back and took a good look at her. "You keep surprising me Sunshine. It fits you perfectly."

She was in a mustard color dress, not sunshine yellow but not orange either, something in between but it revoked the thoughts of the sun all at once. The dress moved like the sun's rays when she walked. "I-"

The door opened and Amy poked her head around, a smile coming instantly across her face and more animation that Serena had seen yet crossed the girl's face. She was wearing a structured light blue dress that cut straight across her chest at her collarbones and had wide straps. It had one seam at her waist straight across and then it flared out a little to her knees. Underneath there were black tights. "Darien!" She threw herself at him and Darien had to let go of her to catch the small woman and they gave each other a tight hug before Amy gave him not two, but three kisses. "We've made this year extra special, hoping you'll decide to stay longer than normal."

"If I'm here more than I usually am, I'll be living here full time."

"And is there a problem with that?" Amy demanded but there was a twinkle in her eye as she tried to look firm.

"I'd like that, but I have other jobs to do." Darien turned Amy towards Serena. "I was just talking to-"

"Serena, she's new here. I met her today already. She's the one we were waiting on for the last several months."

Darien's head swiveled towards Serena and suddenly the warmth was gone and his eyes were black once more. "The wife of the man you hired on for the ski patrol and lessons?"

Serena flinched at his tone and looked away from him, seeking Amy's eyes to see if she noticed the change in the man she now linked arms with. Amy's eyes were suddenly less dark, not just because she was happy but the dress pulled out the blue in her eyes. And all at once, the dread she had been feeling shifted, he wasn't the boyfriend, oh no, he was the _brother_ of these two women. She was relieved for only a brief moment, but the reason that it was bad was still there. His loyalty would be completely with his sisters, as a boyfriend, he would have had equal reason to want to keep his transgressions with her underwraps. As brother, he was free to share all he found out about the wife of their charming new employee, Andrew.

Andrew would be devastated. Serena straightened and looked Darien straight in the eye, ready to lie her head off for the blond man. But when she opened her mouth to speak, she was cut off as more people started filing in. Among them were Raye and Andrew, Lita was there with another man and several other people. They were laughing and whatever the emergency was, it ended up all right.

Andrew spotted her among the others and slid to her side, wrapping his left arm around her waist and held out his right hand to shake Darien's hand. "Hi, I'm Andrew Crowne, and you are?"

Darien watched the possessive gesture, his eyes focusing momentarily not on the hand that was outstretched, but on the one on her hip, there on his ring finger was a thick gold band. Serena's hand protectively covered Andrew's and her rings were clearly visible as well. Serena watched a muscle tick in his jaw and for a second, Serena thought he'd ignore Andrew's hand and drag his sisters out of the room. Instead he seemed to firm something in himself and reached out to take Andrew's hand. "I'm Darien Shields. I was just meeting your wife, I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name. Though I recall hearing it somewhere before..."

Serena's mouth pressed firmly together, sure he was making a dig at the fact that she'd told him yesterday. "It's Serena." She finally bit out.

"No last name?" He drawled softly, but the others were already making other conversation around them.

Serena looked up instead at Andrew, when she did that her head could rest on his shoulder. "What was the emergency about?"

Andrew looked down at her and when he did that, his face was inches from hers. They looked a very in love couple. "A brother and sister had decided to try and cross-country ski in one of the back tracks. We thought they were still there, but they came back a different way and their parents kept missing them and the phones are spotty at best. We went out to search for them, but the tracks disappeared with the snow. We told them to invest in walkies and they went out and bought some right away." Andrew laughed. "I think I should be part of the retail team too. I'm great at selling ideas."

Serena smiled at him, though it was tight, knowing that Darien's glare was still firmly on her. "You are certainly great at that." He gave her a squeeze before introducing her to someone else on the patrol team.

Then his head came around and looked at Darien in something of a surprise. "You're Darien? The elusive brother? Man it's nice to finally meet you." Andrew held out his hand again and Darien took it. "Thanks for creating such a cool place to work."

"_Cool_, huh? I've never heard it described that way." Serena watched the interaction while talking with the one Andrew introduced her to. "You're welcome, I suppose. I'm a bit partial to this place, having been my home for so many years."

Serena heard the warning and turned her gaze away from them, and investing in the conversation she was having, or trying to at least. She told herself she'd have to find him later, talk to him before he had a chance to blow everything up in her face. She tightened her grip almost painfully on Andrew's hand and he pulled her closer to his side in response.

Was it possible or had Darien's voice, even across the room just gotten rougher, more dangerous? She was just being silly, she had to be imagining it. Darien couldn't even see them clearly from where he was, though she'd been trying her hardest to keep her eyes off him, though they kept pulling that way and whenever she did, she felt like she was dying all over again. She hated that he was so livid with her, that she was sure he now hated her. Even though she shouldn't hear him.

Raye was trying her hardest to engage Serena in a conversation, feeling like they hadn't finished their earlier one, but Serena kept slipping away to talk to someone else. She felt like an evil person talking to any of the siblings, like she had done something horribly wrong and was still doing it. But it wasn't, she knew that, it was just so very small. Nothing bad would come of it. Or at least that's what she'd thought going in on it, now, now she was very sure the opposite was true. Something very bad was going to happen because she was here. To her and to Andrew and it was entirely her fault. All of it.

The whole night she was on Andrew's arm, at his side and presenting an united front for all of the employees and regulars. She was feeling overwhelmed and hot and she put a hand on Andrew's arm to gain his attention. She needed a moment away from Darien's piercing stare and by herself. "I'll be back. I'm going to go search for the loo."

Andrew laughed a bit at the reference. "I'll be right here." He bent slightly and gave her a kiss. His mouth lingering on her cheek. "Don't be too long."

Was she mistaking the hint of huskiness in his voice? Or was it just for show? She slipped out of his hands and out into the hallway. It was already cooler and she could breath easier again. She took a deep breath to center herself. The door opened behind her and she thought it might be Andrew, she turned, trying to plaster on a look that would reassure him that she was all right, but her facial muscles froze when she saw Darien instead.

He needed to stop sneaking up on her, her face would be stuck in the look of surprise if he didn't. She really didn't need that. He shut the door firmly behind him. "Excuse me." Serena moved towards going back in, but he stood firmly in front of her. She had intended on talking to him, but it turns out that he was just as ready to talk to her. Now that they were face to face again, she found her nerve deserting her. She swallowed back her fear and stood straight up, pulling her shoulders back. If he wasn't going to move, they might as well find some place more private to talk. "Some where else?" She questioned, looking around and he nodded, directing her to a conference room. Even this room seemed warm and welcoming and historic rather than old. Yet it was outfitted with some state of the art technology as well.

He closed the door behind them again and she turned to face him. She wanted to cut through his anger and speak first, but she wasn't fast enough. "What the hell are you playing at?" He snapped at her. "You lied to me!"

"I did not!" Serena defended herself. "I'm- look, it's complicated!"

"Well then explain it to me now."

"I can't!" She whirled around and stalked across the room, putting the table between them. "I'd love to, but I just can't. What are you doing here anyway?" She spun towards him again, angered as well. This was not what she was planning on, he ruined everything! But she knew better than to lob that at him. He never would have known if he had stayed on his ranch and then gone back home to DC or wherever he lived.

"I told you I was going to my sisters' event. How could you not expect me when there's two girls here, waiting for their brother's return."

"You don't have the market on two girls and a boy. Even in this town." She protested. "Your ranch is twenty minutes out, I though they'd be having the party there as you obviously don't live there full time. I thought they lived _there_."

"And that would have made a difference? You didn't even know I was going to a ranch yesterday when you told be that bald-faced lie. You're still lying me."

"It's not how it seems!" Serena caught her words before they could spill forth, she didn't even know what to say.

"Tell me!" He pleaded, not knowing what to make of this.

"I can't." Serena repeated mutinously, looking away from him. "Please don't tell anyone."

He sneered at her words. "Oh your secret's safe with me. I don't make a habit of destroying marriages."

"Darien-" She sought out his eyes, holding them. "I don't normally do that. It was the first and only time I've ever." She choked on the idea of a one-night stand. Had they left it the way they had this morning it would have been fine. She would have thought she was missing out on more, but she wouldn't have felt as dirty as she did.

"You've made me an unwilling partner in your crime. I won't breathe a word of this to anyone. I can't believe you've cheated on Andrew, he seems like a decent enough guy and don't give me any bs about how he's different when he's with you." Serena couldn't honestly say that and so she didn't try. He saw right through her. "What was it? You were bored? Curious? Not getting any for the last few months and so decided to sate your hungers?"

Serena flinched back as if she were slapped. "It wasn't any of that." She protested meekly. "I-" Serena held back, how could she tell him that she felt such a connection with him when he looked at her as if she was worse than something he found on the bottom of his shoe? He'd laugh at her and her feelings, and that was an abuse she couldn't take right now.

"What was it Serena? Why did you pull me down a hole I would never willingly go myself? I deserve an answer for that. You need to, so you can look yourself in the mirror and know why you did what you'd done. So you had no more lies to yourself when you finally confront what an awful person you are."

Serena tried to hold back the tears that were now threatening to slip down her cheeks. He was laying at her feet all the things she'd fought for so long. All the things she abhorred were now lobbed at her. And all her past relationships were coming up to haunt her, and her hands curled in on themselves, trying to hold her to the present. How she was at fault for everything but at the same time she was innocent in what he was accusing her of. It had been a stupid, impulsive decision last night, not something she'd planned. Something that had taken her by complete surprise. And so, she used that. They always said the best lie laid in truths. "I don't know, Darien. I was coming here, happy to see Andrew again and I looked across the gas station to ask you for directions to come here to him, when I saw you. It took me by surprise, it hasn't happened to me before. I'm completely loyal to Andrew. Then we were ensconced together that night and the feelings just grew."

"You started it, I would have left you alone." Darien rasped, not wanting to hear what she was saying. Wanting her to be a wanton. At this moment, she wished she was. "I gave you several outs. You went into that completely level-headed. You chose to betray him."

"I chose to sleep with you, yes, but you are lying to yourself if you think you could have left me alone that night. You would have made a move eventually." He didn't try to deny it. "But I wasn't thinking clearly, you'd fogged up my brain the second our eyes caught." Before that, probably, but she didn't admit it, it already was painful to admit to so much now.

They stood there, glaring at the table at each other, not saying anything, running out of insults to fling at one another, hurt accusations that hurt both with their words. Last night had been so beautiful, so perfect and now it was all destroyed because of an unexpected meeting.

Finally Darien cleared his throat. "You cannot sleep with any of the guests or employees. The moment you do, you'll be thrown out of here."

"Understood." Serena replied with a crisp clipped tone. Then, "What do we do now?"

"Now we go to dinner." That was it, he let himself out and disappeared behind the door swinging shut.

Serena didn't follow him, she collapsed into a chair and buried her face in her hands. She stopped herself from crying. She couldn't do this. She'd just destroyed all that had been good between them, she never should have let it begin. She knew where she was going and why and even when she found out that he was going to be nearby, she didn't stop it. She thought she could manipulate it so he'd never know she was married and they'd never know that she was seeing someone else.

She really was used to big city life, wasn't she? Especially the type of behavior that was common in heated places like Florida. Clothes came off frequently and so did morals.

There was a knock on the door and then Andrew let himself in. "Serena? Are you feeling all right?" Would she be struck down if she said no? But no, she couldn't give Darien the satisfaction of seeing her run off with her tail between her legs.

So she plastered on a big smile and lifted her head. "Sure thing Andy. Why do you ask?"

"You've been gone for a long time and they're going to serve dinner soon." Andrew made it to her side as she managed to wobble to her feet. "Have you been having too many drinks? I told you they pack a mean punch around here." He held out a hand to her elbow and helped steady her. "I could always find an excuse for you to go back to our rooms."

"No, it isn't the drinks. I think all the traveling has caught up to me. It might only be a two hour time difference, but having to get up so early and then the actual traveling and driving, I think it's managed to do a number on me." She tried to be convincing and she probably was, because Andrew didn't question her further on it.

"So off to bed?" He asked but she shook her head. "Are you sure?"

Serena wrapped her arm around his waist and smiled cheerfully up at him. "I'm sure, come on, time to go eat. I'm sure that'll help. I haven't had anything to eat since breakfast."

"Then by all means, what are we waiting for!" Andrew swung her about and they froze as they saw Darien in the doorway, hand raised to knock and he lowered it, straightening.

"I was sent to find the two of you." He said woodenly. "Raye's looking for you." He'd known exactly where Serena was and probably was shocked to see the two of them on such friendly terms away from prying eyes. Especially with the way he was viewing her today.

Well, good going Serena, you've really knocked that innocent belief right off its pedestal. Serena was looking for words to respond with that wouldn't seem catty to Andrew's ears, but made it unnecessary. "We were just on our way. Thanks Darien."

Darien nodded stiffly and turned to lead them to the dinning hall and Serena was floored by the sheer beauty of this place. She was right, she never wanted to leave this room, especially if the food was as good as it looked. The hall was lofty in the way that the ceiling seemed forever far away and dark wood was a heavy feature to the design without overwhelming the space. There was plenty of free wall space for color and color there was. Rich vibrant hues in only the warmest of the warm. Then there were the windows. She'd never seen something so beautiful, if you sat on one side of the room you faced the mountain covered with trails, going up and going down into a vista. If you looked really close, you could even see the river meandering through. On the other side of the room you were looking at a mountain tree dense. Andrew told her that every mountain surrounding the lodge had some type of trail or sport attached to it that belonged to the lodge. Serena didn't know how they didn't have money over fist with this place. But she was seeing things a little filtered and she knew it, half the people in the room right now were employees. If they weren't there, it would seem pretty empty.

Darien took his place by his sisters and Serena was given a slight reprieve as they sat with the rest of the staff and away from the three Shields. "That Darien seems like a pretty nice bloke." Andrew commented idly.

"You've never met him before?"

"Nope, first time. He's never been here while I have. Heard only nice things about him though from the sisters and the staff. Even people on the street comment about him from time to time, whatever new venture he's set out on. He was the boy everybody loved growing up."

"Gone to his head much?" Serena asked, looking through her lashes at the table the three siblings sat at, alone and were laughing and enjoying each other's company.

"No, he had a great personality as a kid." One of their table mates chimed in. "Then when the parents died, had to work hard to keep everything together. Never let his ego rule him, knowing it could splinter and shatter at any moment."

"The people's darling making it good."

"Making it fantastic." They corrected. "Every year, even though he doesn't have anything to do with this place now, he buys a Christmas present for each member of the staff along with a note saying how much he appreciates us helping out his sisters and making their lives a bit easier. They both buy us gifts too, but that's common practice. It's his thoughtfulness that really makes it a family affair."

"Not that we're putting down the unoriginality of their gifts." Another piped in quickly. "We appreciate them greatly, they don't have to do it."

Serena smiled at the loyalty these members of staff had for the siblings. They grew up in the town and chose to stay. That said a lot for them. "What do you think of them, Serena, first impressions?"

"First impressions?" Serena looked thoughtfully over at the siblings and sighed in longing to that easy kinship. She hadn't any blood siblings to speak of. It gave people a sense of security that couldn't be taken away, knowing they had kin who would have their backs no matter what. But Serena had Lizzy and Andrew and knew what a family was. "I think they're all marvelous."

Andrew and the others around the table shared smiles, all agreeing full stop with her and pleased she was of the same mindset. To them, she would fit in well. To her, she wasn't so sure, not if Darien had anything do with it.

But after their fight, he didn't look her way once. Why had he agreed to look for them anyway? Serena found she really didn't understand this man and she usually understood men just fine.

Andrew covered her hand on top of the table and Serena's attention shifted to that, missing the flicker of Darien's eyes on them the moment she looked away, but she could feel them. By the time she looked back up, he was already onto something else.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Over the following week, Serena was sure of one thing. Darien was still in town. She'd seen him on the street, when she came in to eat, when she went to her room. He was everywhere. It was starting to get ridiculous, she was starting to feel like he was stalking her. But of course he wasn't, because he was sometimes places she went _before_ she got there and sometimes after. He could very well lobby the same accusation at her.

Every time she saw him first, she avoided him by going the other direction or seeming occupied. The same must have been true the other way around, because she'd look up and see the back of his black head and a pace that was too fast for a purely leisurely stroll. That's not to account for the times they saw each other at the exact same moment. Those were the worst, as both turned and went opposite directions, often, Serena made some sort of fumble and had to chastise herself for being so clumsy. He'd never know she often snuck a backwards glance, just desiring one moment of looking upon him unobserved. She only knew him for a handful of hours and yet she still missed him.

If anyone saw their behavior with one another, no one said anything. There were times when they had to bare each others company in the same room, but never had they needed to speak since that horrible incident that first night here.

Now Raye was calling her over and Darien was by her side. "Darien was just asking me about the changes I have planned around here. I told him that you were a big part of it, Serena. Have you thought any more about ways to draw in more people?"

"There's the usual ways, T-shirts, free trips, etc." Serena hesitated when Darien lifted a brow, thinking it was usual but not exactly cost efficient. She could read it in those black inky depths. Raye's eyes were the darkest, but they weren't quite blue either, if Serena didn't know any better, she'd say they were violet. But that kind of color didn't come around too often, if ever. "I was thinking maybe throwing together an indie concert for a weekend a few weeks after the holidays since your busy time seems to be leading up to and through it. You die off after that even though there's still a lot of great skiing left." Raye and Amy had given her access to some of the records. Not all, but the ones containing visitations and occupancy rates.

"That's true. We need people to think there's things to do here after the holidays. Though its usually our coldest month but the others are nicer again."

Serena was nodding, thinking up other ideas. "You could even promo free music at the desk. Free downloads to whoever checks in."

"While this is all well and good, Serena, we want to keep our specific type of clientele." Darien cut into her flowing of thoughts and she lost track of where she was going to go next. She had it written down back in her room, spare ideas she'd marked while researching how to market things. Her information was a little outdated, technology had moved on since then, so she was thinking currently as well and trying to push the envelop.

"And you would be." Serena acknowledged Darien's interruption. "This would just be getting them back or keeping them here afterwards. The music they like would be the music choices. It wouldn't suddenly be pop or hiphop. These are just some of the attractions I was thinking about."

Raye was giving her brother a censured look. "Yes Darien, it's what I sent her off to do. She's not even really required to be thinking these things up yet, she's just supposed to be watching and understanding but a few ideas along the way wouldn't hurt anything. Since _we _have a certain clientele _we'_d like to keep."

That put Darien in his place for now. "That's it for now, I've been talking to some of the guests, trying to understand what drives them, what brings them up here year after year. What they like and what they'd like to see more of. A few of them said that they enjoy large structured group gatherings which they can come and go to as they please. Though the isolation is what drives a few more, except they don't want to be completely living off the land, but a close second is great."

"I've told you that sometimes water doesn't work and technology is something that's never been major up here." Darien was frowning, thinking she was just repeating his words.

"You've told her? When have you the time? I never see you around the hotel for long periods of time and when you are, I've never seen you even breath in her direction." Raye wondered out loud, and Serena sent a frantic glance over to Darien, how was he going to get out of this one? Raye was smart, she would catch on quick.

"The first night." Darien covered smoothly, his eyes chilling as he looked back at Serena, but they warmed considerably when he looked down at his sister. "We were able to have a bit of a chat before Amy came in. I was warning her about what she could possibly be in for."

"I'm disappointed in you, Darien." Raye sighed dramatically. "I'm glad you've stuck around, Serena, anyone else would have ran for the hills had they known."

"It's just preparing me for what I might encounter. I'd rather know it in advanced rather than think I did something wrong when it comes out later."

"Yes..." Darien drawled. "We wouldn't want that, would we? I just hate that kind of thing too."

Serena's jaw clenched for a moment, trying not to let him get to her. She maintained that she did nothing wrong and she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of egging her on.

"I'm just glad that you're not disgusted by the lack of guarantee that you'd be used to with living in a big city." Raye smiled in relief. "Now that you know, we can stop worrying about how you'll react once it happens."

"Being told something is very different than experiencing it for yourself." Darien reminded his sister.

"Not to worry." Serena smiled brightly at them. "Even in big cities there's power outages, water going on the fritz and just a complete breakdown of what people consider convenient and normal. I've been through some of these things before."

"See, your worries are unfounded, Darien." Raye nudged her brother. "No more horror stories."

"I'd never do a thing like that." Darien pleaded innocence and Serena was thinking about backing out of this conversation and continuing on her way.

"Anything else you've thought up?"

"Um... you could try playing up the small town feel. People really go for that. The only problem is that you don't have competition. The only people who know about this place are the ones that come here anyway. If there was one chain here, people would find out about this through that company's other areas hotels and anyone looking for a ski vacation would come here through them. When they arrive, they would look around the small town and discover your little gem practically undiscovered and they'll buy into it, pay up for a more luxurious environment."

"That's actually..." Darien faded off as he looked at her speculatively. "Pretty brilliant."

"But that would require competition." Raye bit her lip, not thinking they could handle a big chain coming in, that was what was nice about their town, no chains.

"Never shy away from some healthy competition, Raye." Darien teased. "They'd have to be further back and have to be shuttled into town or driven in, there's plenty of parking space in both the resort's lots and the lodge's. Using your facilities would also be a cost boaster. All the rewards without the overhang."

"But sitting rooms are sitting rooms." Raye argued.

"Yes, but when people come for the chain and find it full, they'll spill over into your lodge. It wasn't always one, they'd be sitting empty anyway."

"And if they spill over into our lodge, discounting the fact that we'd be changing who we cater to-"

"Then they'll find some place else to stay. I might even be able to open up a few rooms." Darien commented. "Or they'll go up to Helena and commute back and forth." But Darien was shaking his head. "But you're right, Raye, lets not get a big chain involved, it starts becoming about numbers and loses its quaint feel. Sorry Serena, nixing that one."

Serena hesitated before she spoke up again. "There's no summer draw!"

"What do you mean?" Raye looked out over the quaint town and saw all of the old feel to it and how warm and inviting. It was like going back in time and Serena could see it too. Not too far back, btu it had character and it had a brightness to it.

"I'm not talking about the town itself, people will fall in love with it, if they ever get here to see it. There needs to be a big attraction for people to attach an idea to in all the different seasons."

Raye and Darien shared a look that Serena couldn't understand. "Well we have a lot of great hiking trails." Darien started.

Raye's eyes never left Darien's, it was like she was demanding something. "You'll have to show her. The trails have never been enough."

"Maybe." Darien disagreed and noticing Serena's eyes on his face, looking for any clue, he stated gruffly. "I'm working on that as we speak." There was nothing more and Serena was left out of it.

"He's not nearly done." Raye explained to Serena. Everything they were talking about would be years down the road anyway, it would have to be dreamed up and then financed and then put into works and advertised and then people would slowly start trickling in, it wouldn't be a great boom all at once. It might not even be cost effective for several years after. All of this was a moot point anyway because Serena wouldn't be there to oversee it, wouldn't be there to tie ends together and make sure it didn't unravel. She was hired for short term boosts, not long term and even if she was here for longer, even if they wanted her help to even set it up, it wouldn't be a sure thing. She wasn't sure what she was doing, it could all blow up in her face. This wasn't her field. They'd know faster than if she kept her head low and did small things to improve their image to the world and this would all fall apart faster than a burning marshmallow over a camp fire.

She cleared her throat. "It's all right, really. They were just thoughts." Thoughts she had been excited about, she'd never seen such a blank canvas before with so many possibilities. Andrew's enthusiasm for this place must be rubbing off on her. He was talking about something new, surprising for such a small town, every night. His joy for his life here was infectious. She found she was liking it too, never knew it more so until today. She was also saddened that the brother to these two fine ladies hated her guts. "I will find some other things to work on. I still have to talk to more of your guests, each are so fascinatingly different. Each have such a different view yet they seem to get along well."

"They all seem to like you and Andrew too. Though they've probably seen more of you than Andrew so far, he's been training too much to really interact with the guests." Raye was letting her go back on her way, but Darien's eyes were warning her. Warning her to turn and run, to keep any ideas she had to herself and not do anything, to stay away from the guests.

Serena's chin inched slowly upward and she looked him straight on, not willing to be bullied. She came here to do something and she'd do it. She was asked once she got here to do something else, something she hadn't a clue how to do, but she'd try her hardest do to it. She'd accomplish everything she put her mind to, and if she got into a rut, she'd ask Andrew to set her straight and she'd be on her merry way again. She'd bounce her ideas off of him from now on, and then share the best ones with Raye and Amy and those two alone. Maybe Lita too.

A reflective look entered Darien's eyes as he noted her proud stance, and he gave in to her a little, looking away and suggesting something to Raye. The woman smiled at her while Darien only gave a short nod and they were walking away. As if he had control over the situation, as if that was his right to dictate to her.

Serena grumbled to herself and continued on with her shopping, trying her best not to recall Darien's arrogant face. His holier than thou looks. His derision towards her and everything she said. She'd do her best to show him that she wasn't here merely to play the field, that she wasn't some floozy that he had to watch over. That she wasn't some kind of leper! And that's what was really bothering her, wasn't it? She was fighting back angry tears that stung at her eyes. The fact that he now hated her and never wanted anything to do with her. He'd never smile at her again, never touch her, even by mistake. That she lost what had never really started but had promised something beautiful. Something she'd never had before.

–

Another week followed and by then she'd talked to all of the staff, all of the long-term guests and all the ones visiting for the first time or only for this week. Each had valid points and conflicting ideas. Everyone liked the way things were now, but couldn't help but want something more, something none of them could really put their finger on. They all liked the small town feel, the close knit of the guests because there weren't many that they had to compete against and it wasn't over crowded. At the same time though they wouldn't mind seeing more faces among them, the halls to this great big house turned lodge were kind of empty and lonely at times.

Serena had to second that as she wandered her way through the top floor and ended up on a shared balcony that was devoid of human life at the moment. She settled into one of the quite comfortable chairs and looked out upon the downhill ski resort. It was quite beautiful, but bare right now. After the first eventful snowfall that had snowed her in with Darien, not a flake had fallen. There were some murmurs of disappointment. Usually the season started about now, but that was after a few heavy dumps so the trails would be covered enough for the few bravest skiers to run down. The most passionate ones couldn't even do so now. There wasn't any snow on the mountains except the ice covered ones at the very peak. The lifts didn't go up that high, as far as Serena could tell.

There was a few bowls on the other side of the one she was looking at and the others wrapping around it, and more lifts over there. Perhaps there was a lift to the very top on that side. They'd offered to ATV her out there, or a snowmobile if there was snow. But that was the problem, not a fleck stuck. She was looking at green firs and brown dirt, not even quite frozen because it wasn't yet cold enough during the day. At night was another story, but even then it wasn't as it should be.

Serena sighed, how was it that not only did it snow the day she had to meet Darien, but that both had been delayed to make it perfect timing? She wouldn't feel so angry at the heavens if it at least gave a light dusting, just to tell her it wasn't intentional, this ruining of her peace of mind. A light dusting to tell her that a season was really underway. Really, what was she doing out here if the whole season, Andrew couldn't do his job? She didn't like the cold, but she liked it better if there was snow on the ground. She could be in sunny Florida complaining that it was getting lower than 80 right about now and dawning a light weight jacket.

Instead she was wrapping herself in scarves and denim jackets over a thin sweater and jeans. She was even buying into the UGGs look, though she would have worn the cliché pair had she stayed in Florida in a month or two. But these, the nice ones that were a knock-off but better than the real thing, were a staple now every time she went out. To fight the cold and because the sky looked as if it were about to dump any day now, but never did, always passing over them.

She buried her hands under her arms and against her body as a chill went through her from the light breeze rushing down the mountain. "What are you doing out here?" A voice asked and she looked up slowly, no longer surprised to see Darien when she least expected him. In fact, she should start expecting him then, and it would never be a surprise to see him.

"Sitting, looking, enjoying." She hoped her short responses would be enough to send him back on his way, but instead he rested his elbows against the back of the nearest chair. He looked out over the grounds at the mountains.

"These were mine, you know?" Serena shook her head, she had only a vague recollection of saying this was a family home. "I grew up in this house and when I was a child, I used to run about in the woods to the grief of my parents. Then I was the first to go skiing out here. I used to hike up the hill and when I grew tired I would sit and stare down at my house, besotted in the mountains, like it was being cupped by formidable walls, keeping the dangers out. Then when I grew chilly, I would ski back down. Each day I got further up hill, but now that I look at it, I realize I never got further than the seventh pole on the closest lift." He gave a bark of laughter. "Now look at where you can go!" His laughter died down a bit, became more bitter. "I had the lifts built after my parents died. I was only nineteen at the time and had considerable fortune handed to me. I never realized quite how rich we were. The money wasn't lasting long with all the expenses I needed to cover and I had two sisters to look out for. I converted the place into a cash flowing business, bought up the Ranch and use it to supply the restaurant I had added on. Then when the lifts finished, I skied down and stopped at the highest point I managed to hike in the snow and looked over what I had done. I realized then and there that they were keeping the dangers out, but it wasn't good enough. They couldn't save my parents when they left our safe little abode."

"So then why did you leave?"

"Because I needed to go slay those demons out in the real world, prove to myself that people can survive anywhere. I never wanted to stay here full time, and then it became imperative that I left so I _could_ come back. I've kept this place safe, just like the walls of rock around us do. Or at least I have until recently."

"What's changed?" Serena knew there was going to be something biting, she just knew it.

And he didn't disappoint. "I let you in."

"I haven't done anything to this place to destroy that safety." Serena responded back, sitting up straighter, she had been having a peaceful moment. She was surprised he'd shared so much with her, but it was all said impersonally, like it didn't have much effect on him, at least until that last part about safety. She felt for him, she did, but she knew what it was like too and she didn't dwell like he did.

"But you're trying to. I won't allow you to do anything that will change the fundamental nature of this place. There will be no chain hotels, no cheapening of the charm or character. This place is doing well enough on its own and if it starts going into the red, well I'll throw some more cash into it to keep it afloat."

Serena jumped to her feet and the words she said had no merit to them except for based on her own observations and how she would feel if someone stepped in and spoke for her. "But that's not what your sisters want. They don't want your cash or pity. They want to feel like they're doing something, making it on their own merit instead of holding a place stable while you make all the money else where. They don't want to be a drain on your wallet, they want to stand on their own two feet, or rather four, since there's two of them. If they were content to do nothing and let you provide for them, they could have kept it a grand house instead of a lodge and wouldn't have needed a ski resort and all the trappings and businesses you've created here. The town would have kept its character the way it was before _you_ changed things. I've no doubt you would have found some other way to keep this place running without giving them a way to make their own living. They like their jobs Darien and they've hired me to make their lives easier and more productive. This is the task they've set up for me, and I intend to fulfill it to the letter on what _they_ want."

"Bravo, Serena, for your charming little speech. But I'm the owner still and I have final say if I disagree with my siblings pursuits. They didn't hire you for your skills, you were just a convenient bonus to a package they had looked for in your husband. They're doing this to make you feel better, to keep you busy while the real works being done by him." His tone was so condescending that Serena about shouted at him, but at the last moment she reigned it all back in and held her tongue. "What's wrong Serena, afraid to show a little emotion? Or has the cold in your heart finally managed to manifest itself over your acting skills?"

Serena forced a smile to her lips. "Well if that's the case, then you can be the one to tell them that I'm done. I'll just be the good little docile wife, bored out of her little skull and must find other pursuits to entertain her while her husband is out working and doing all the contributing to the society at large." She deliberately batted her eyelashes at him in a slow motion, daring him to take what he wanted from her comment.

And he did, reacting instantly and he reached out and hauled her to him with a firm grasp. "I've told you, any misbehavior with anyone residing in this building and you'll be out on your ear within a heartbeat of your misdeed." His voice was ferocious and she didn't dare challenge him, unsure what he'd do next. "And with you, all your stuff including your dear husband will be out with you. And for whatever reason I haven't managed to figure out yet, it is important to you that he maintains his position here. That is your main concern over what happened, isn't it? Not that you lied and cheated on him, but that he'll lose this job. Why Serena? What are you playing at?"

For a second there, she was intending to tease him and say the only one that she wanted to misbehave with was him, but his threat rang clear in her ears and she had to swallow back whatever words she wanted to say that would get a better reaction out of him. She was sick of his coldness, but Andrew was first priority. So she pulled her thoughts in line quickly. "Andrew's job is important to him."

"So you were bored and a little angry, being dragged all the way out here. Was it revenge that motivated you? If so, you could have told him at any time about you and me."

"He likes you." Serena muttered. "And I don't want to tell him."

"So it was to satisfy yourself, a personal revenge but in a way so you could have it both ways? Revenge and still keep him?" '_No.'_ Serena thought, but he'd given her a perfect out, well, perhaps not perfect, but a reason to explain away her behavior.

Still though, she didn't take it and shook her head. "I wasn't happy coming out here, but I was resigned to it. I knew this was something he badly wanted to do and I wanted him to be happy. I never intended to cheat on him, but then circumstances got the better of me and I'll never do it again." She swallowed hard. "I was only egging you on about the bored part, I wasn't going to do anything like that. Though I can't do nothing, I'd break down into tears if that were the case. I was thinking more of finding a job in town if I stopped working here."

Darien shook his head. "I can't believe how much you infuriate me. You have to stop stringing me up like this. One day you're going to push me over the edge." He took a deep breath and released her, the thought of his next words painful to say. "You can keep working for Raye and Amy. Heaven knows why, but they like you."

"I like them too." Serena rubbed her arm where his fingers had been and she caught a look of disgust cross his features as he looked from her arm to his hand and then they were schooled again into that placid look. A closed look came across her features as well. If he was disgusted even to think of touching her, well. Well no, that hurt. But she wouldn't show her pain and pushed passed him. "See you around." '_Hopefully not._'

She heard a movement behind her and for a second thought he'd come after her, say more, but he didn't and he must have only been moving to sit. She was just in his spot after all, anywhere she was, if he was intending to be there, was his spot, even if she was first. He owned the lodge after all, didn't he?

–

When Serena made esquires after Amy demanded to know why she wasn't smiling like normal, Serena relented and told her a little about her conversation with her brother. "Darien told you that?" Amy was a little surprised. "He had no right to. We get to make all the decisions we want. He's never threatened off an employee before, well, not unless they'd been hanging about after we'd fired them. I don't know what's up with him these days." Amy sighed. "It's like some cloud has settled over him. But no, Darien doesn't own this place. We all do. He has a third of the lodge and Raye and I share the shares to the other two thirds. Our parents left it to all of us. We also all own the land, but it is Darien's ski resort. He's the one that put it in. Don't let him get to you, he's just in a mood."

"He's been in moods like this before?" Serena asked carefully.

Amy grinned. "Never quite so bad. Must be a girl. Probably can't wait to get back to her and she's probably stringing him along, winding him up about how she's bored without him, how waiting for him to return is oh so dreadful. His girlfriends are usually high divas the last one he was dating was the worst. I hope he's moved on since then. I only met her because I popped in for a visit. She was not pleased to meet me, I'll tell you. Instantly possessive and even when she found out I was his sister, was unpleasantly frosty with me."

Serena didn't want to think about Darien with another girl. "Maybe its work related." Serena suggested but Amy was already shaking her head no.

"He doesn't get strung up about work. He's settled in quite well enough that he can just delegate if its too much. He thrives on the passion of closing the deal, so if it is work related, it wouldn't put him in this state. Only women seem to get into his paw like a prickly pare. You'd think with two sisters growing up, he'd understand them better than most, but we're a lot more sedate than normal women, I suppose, didn't cause too much trouble or share too much with him about those kinds of troubles until later on." Amy frowned deeply troubled. "But to tell you that we'd only created this job for you because we wanted Andrew is going above and beyond his lack of understanding. He's usually so kind and a gentleman to females, especially employees. When Andrew told us what you did for a living Raye and I practically gleamed with excitement and couldn't stop discussing how we'd utilize you. You were a godsend to us, Serena, not someone we'd have to figure out what to do with. Don't ever let anyone tell you otherwise. Of course if you don't want to do it, that's another thing entirely."

"I'd like to try, I'm not sure how much help I can be, or even that I'll do more than one thing well, if that. I wasn't expecting this going in and I've never spearheaded anything from start to finish like this." She'd just had ideas and they were either repelled or praised and then dropped. The only other thing she had was trouble-shooting a textbook example but never seeing if it worked or not. Higher level classes would have let her do projects start to finish, though much smaller scale.

She'd dropped the subject because she hadn't been very interested in going through the motions, and the one class filled her general ed. She'd also met- well, that wasn't important.

Amy was speaking again and Serena realized she wasn't listening. "I'll have to talk to Darien about that. He hadn't a right to say something like that to you."

"Please don't, I don't want to cause any trouble. It was just sitting there at the back of my mind, worrying me that I'd have to please him and he seems like nothing could do that, at least not easily."

"He is tough." Amy agreed. "But he's pretty easy to figure out. Usually." Her gaze was inward and thoughtful and Serena liked watching her eyes, so close to Darien's and yet bluer. These eyes held intelligence behind them and she was a little more than shy. "Any rate. I do wish Darien would find a nice girl to settle down with, motivated and successful, sure, to keep him interested and keep up with him, but also one who doesn't play these games with him. He's been burned more than once. I wish he could find a girl a lot like you actually. I wouldn't have minded welcoming someone like you into the family, Serena."

"We barely know each other." Serena tried not to be insanely flattered by her compliment and tried not to feel guilty that the whole time she'd known this calm, quiet woman, she was lying to her.

"A few weeks maybe, but I feel like I _know_ you. I just wish Darien would get to know you too, see how wonderful women could be and start looking for someone like you. Since you're already taken." Amy laughed. "Then again, we shouldn't give him a goal he can't hope to reach!"

Serena shook her head, a smile forcing its way across her cheeks and she couldn't fight it down. "You flatter me too much Amy."

"Nonsense." Amy brushed the comment aside. "Nobody else comes to visit me as much as you. You're a very sweet woman, Serena Crowne, very sweet indeed." Amy fingered the key at her neck. "Though I hate to rush you away, but I've got work to do, and I'm sure, so do you."

Serena laughed as she stood. "Not rushing, pushing maybe. But I'll go, you're right, I've taken up enough of our time." She leaned down and hugged the slight woman and then smiled again. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Amy nodded and watched Serena leave. Serena saw her unlock her drawer just as she was shutting the door behind her and pulling out papers. Again a thought crossed her mind, just what were on those papers that she didn't want anyone else to see?


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Serena never felt so warm in her life. She sighed and leaned back against the strong chest behind her. The arms around her tightened and she felt his cheek rub against the top of her head, even through the cap he'd shoved over her ears. He was a large man structurally but he was a big teddy-bear without the excess fat, with a heart of gold and a face most men envied. They were sitting in one of the sleds that would later this season be going down the bobsled hill, once the ice would stay. They were testing it out now on the rubber course with running water. It was just at the precipice where water still ran but it was too cold to touch.

They were supposed to do a run and then jump in, but since it was too dangerous to go that fast with only the two of them and in these conditions, they were just going to be pushed down over the ledge. She wasn't too excited for it, but she was being involved and it was good to get first hand experience. Besides she was with Andrew, what more could she want?

"Gaw, get a room, would you? You love birds make me sick." Though the voice was laughing as he said it. "To get the full enjoyment out of this, you have to have your eyes open." Serena opened her eyes to look at Lita's husband. He was worse and he knew it too, fawning over Lita every chance he got. Which wasn't often as she shooed him out of her kitchen constantly. Serena had been there to witness it a few times already as she'd been present at every meal, never getting enough of Lita's cooking.

"I was just enjoying the pre-shove enjoyment of the moment." Serena's eyes had been closed because she was scared, but if he wanted to believe it was because she was enjoying herself way too much in Andrew's arms, well, so be it.

"Sure, sure, keep telling yourself that. It's perfectly safe." With a blond brow lifted towards the chestnut man, he laughed again. "Ok, so maybe not perfectly, but you'll be fine. Andrew knows exactly what to do and this is an experience you don't get often. You need just the right conditions."

"It's like a water ride." Andrew piped in behind her and she was reassured by his presence and his arms. He was a life-saving device and she was thankful for him. She wasn't sure she told him that often enough. "Except, hopefully, you won't get wet."

Serena hoped so too, she was nice and warm and comfortable right now, even if the bottom of the sled was a little hard and even a little cold. "Ok." She sighed dramatically. "If the two of you are so sure, I'm ready."

Nashashuk put a hand on her shoulder before he moved behind them and Serena felt where his hand was cooling and she shivered slightly in the cold. Andrew's head came down over her shoulder and he kissed the shell of her ear. She was warmed instantly as a blush radiated up over her skin. Then she felt the wind whipping pass her face and she opened her eyes to see them heading straight down. Her hands gripped the sides, her knuckles screamed at her to lessen her grip but she found she couldn't move even if she wanted to.

They kept gaining speed and she was conscious only of the ground rushing up to meet her, but then the ground beneath them started to bend however slightly and they were no longer looking down at it but running almost parallel. They slid to a natural halt just before the dirt barrier and she could hear the man at the top of the path cheering at the speed they'd gone and that they'd stopped in time.

"It's working." Andrew commented, pleased and waited patiently for Serena to come to grips with having to be the first to stand. When she did, her legs felt wobbly and she had to pry her fingers from the sides of the vessel. Andrew stood up from behind her, intending to help her out when she turned at the same time and the sled tipped over.

They ended up together, Serena in Andrew's arms again as he reached out to catch her and they were now wet and very muddy. Serena didn't even register the cold, she looked up into Andrew's bemused face and she started laughing, once she did, he followed almost instantly. "That was so much fun! Let's do it again sometime!" She couldn't believe she'd never tried it before, had hardly ever watched it on TV growing up, knowing only of it because the Olympics would cut over to it for the Americans' and Canadians' runs and then move on to skiing and snowboarding. She surfed all the time and loved that adrenaline rush, and now she saw the excitement in bobsledding too! She had a new sport she'd like to try on her hands. Though it was for adults only, the mixed ages could go on the inner-tubes or sleds further down.

It took them a moment to stand up and try to clean themselves up, but the more they tried, the worst they got. Andrew took out his walkie and got a hold of Nashashuk. "Nash, we're going to go get ourselves cleaned up. Mind waiting for a few showers before testing the others?"

"Nah, you two take all the time you need in the shower. I'll tear Lita away from her masterpiece and get her to practice with me. She enjoys it more than she lets on. I'll see you later for our trail clearing." They were working on clearing up the downhill slopes first, the cross-country ones were more of a pain because they would clear a path and have to clear it again the next day as branches fell. At least with the down slopes, the branches didn't reach very far onto the broad paths. It was less maintenance. The cross-country could wait until there was a need to clear them.

As they walked back, Serena looked up anxiously into Andrew's face. "Do you think they'll be open sometime this year?"

"Maybe not this year, but definitely this season. If the snow doesn't come, they'll create it. It's not the ideal solution and there won't be very many runs open, especially the bowls, but it'll be something. Enough to make it worth running everything. Most likely those going down from the rooms and where the lift goes to at first. Hopefully it won't get to that point."

Serena nodded and slipped her gloved hand into Andrew's and they swung their joined hands as they walked. "That's good. At least there will be something for those poor guests to do."

"I might not have much of a job if that's the case." Andrew commented, thinking about something else. "Though you will have a tough one trying to figure out how to market this place if that's how it goes." He swung the hands up and over her head so she was in the shelter of his body again. He was blocking the wind from cutting through her jacket, so she didn't complain or try to move away. Nobody was watching so they didn't have to pretend, but this really wasn't, they'd always had such an easy relationship. "How is it going, anyway?"

They'd been here for nearly three weeks together and Serena hadn't stepped foot into the office space that the others informed her, was hers. She was reluctant to start in earnest. If she was being truthful, she was a little scared. "Slow. None of my ideas are that great, or panning out if they are. I don't have the contacts or the know-how to go about doing a lot of the things I was hoping to set up. For example the free music samples for those that check in, I don't know who or where to get them. A lot of the music that I wanted to market are closed to that kind of thing, afraid they'll lose sales if I just gave away their best song. The second tiered bands, the ones that are more widely well known would do it, but I have to compete with others who are actually giving a profit to them from their other products to allow them to do so. I guess its not so free after all."

Andrew breathed and she could hear him thinking. "You'll work it out, I know you will, you just have to keep trying. Find one band that has more than one good song and keep after them, use all the arguments at your disposal. Maybe their music has been around for awhile and they were well liked but aren't really making a profit now. Get them to understand that it might rejuvenate their fame. At any rate get in a last minute cash flow."

"I've been trying to argue that one free song won't bankrupt any of them, that it'll be a win-win for both sides, it gets more people here and all that check in will be exposed to them. Nobody has to deal with paper either, the song will just automatically download into their mp3 device. I've even thought about playing all the songs on a random track and only played during the general check in hours so it doesn't get _too_ repetitive and not the same songs over and over again, but different ones by the same artists." Serena bit her bottom lip and leaned into his side. "I'll try your idea, see if that gets me anywhere."

"You're good at this Serena, believe in yourself. What grade did you get for that class?"

"A+." Serena tried to hide her grade by making it come out less clear, but Andrew knew all of her tricks and he squeezed her in pride. "Only one that he's ever given out." She added as an aside, more to herself than him.

"See, you're brilliant in thinking creatively. You just have to trust yourself."

"It'd be easier if they gave me a budget to draw from but the only thing they've really given me access to it the web-page and its layout."

"Then ask. I'm sure they'd be pleased to let you have a spending budget. The more things you bring in and the revenue you generate could go towards a bigger one."

"You're right." Serena brightened instantly. "Thanks Andy, you're a life-saver."

"Anytime." Andrew's eyes got wicked. "Don't take this the wrong way but I would love it if you were drowning at a pool. I'd be the first to try and save you."

Serena cracked up. "How am I not supposed to take that the wrong way? What would the right way even be?"

Andrew laughed with her and unlocked the door for them. Serena didn't have the finesse down yet and kept getting herself locked out. Andrew was always right there to help her back in when she called. He'd given her a walkie after the first week, said it was easier than trying to reach him on his phone. Serena thought she got it open once and bruised her nose because it caught after opening fractionally and she kept walking not realizing it wasn't going anywhere.

Once inside the shared space, Andrew looped his arms easily around Serena. "Should we take Nash up on his suggestion and conserve water?"

Serena rolled her eyes and pushed Andrew towards the showers. "You first. I'll take one afterward. You've got someplace to be in the nearish future."

"Too bad, you're missing out on a very enjoyable experience." He dropped a kiss on her nose and left her be. She listened to the pipes turn on and water rushing through them, well they were working today. Another day, another reprieve. Serena started stripping off her outer layers, trying to figure out the best way to salvage them. Should she wash them off now? She took out a rag and started scrubbing at her camel-hide boots. She'd have to invest in less temperamental fabrics. They were water-proofed but not too mud proof.

With a dispassionate groan, she tossed them aside, they were stained and she'd have to figure out some way to make them passable again. Perhaps get more mud to stain the light patches that stopped them from being a completely new color. That wasn't too bad of an idea...

A small shiver ran through her, the room was warm enough usually, and especially after being out in the cold, but today she was a little chilled. She wiped her hands on a cloth and went to go take care of her jacket, thankfully this was prepared for more elements than water and snow. The mud came off easily but handling it first, she was aware that it was soaked all the way through and the cold she was feeling must have been from having damp clothes.

She heard the larger taps turn off and knew Andrew was done with his shower. She was looking forward to the warm water. She was almost delirious with the fantasy. He laughed when he saw her a million miles away. "Too bad that's not about me." He teased when she turned to look at him and another blush radiated up her neck. He was only wearing a towel. "Shower's free." His words were unnecessary but she appreciated it just the same.

When she finished showering and was fully dressed she found Andrew making a meal for the two of them. It was a light fare and fast, but she was still touched. "I've missed your cooking." She commented lightly, taking a seat at the counter.

"I felt bad that I haven't with all the time you've been here, we just never seem to have meals at the same time." He grinned at her. "This seemed a perfect time to do so and catch up. I see only glimpses of you throughout the day. I've missed you."

Serena's hand came out and covered his on the spoon he was using to stir. "I've missed you too. More than words can say. It's been too long."

He picked up her hand and held it against his chest. "Then lets rectify the situation, hmm?"

"Sounds good to me." And so while Andrew cooked, they talked. They talked for what seemed like hours but was only two. Their meal had finished and was cleaned up and it seemed as if no time at all had passed between them, like they had never spent a day apart.

"Want to come with Nash and me?" He wondered and Serena wrinkled her nose in thought. Slowly she shook her head. "Why not?"

"It's too cold." She complained, and rubbed her hands down her arms to add weight to her words and he was laughing again. "It's not funny and its only colder outside."

"It's only going to _get_ colder." He warned her, bringing his hands up to rub her arms too. "Hopefully not too much colder, I would like it to snow before the chill sets in."

She nibbled on her bottom lip. "I'm really not in Florida anymore."

"Ahh." He understood and pulled her against him, trying to get her warmer. "Get a hot bottle of water and a blanket and hunker down on the couch while I'm gone and try to enjoy a book or if the TV will get anything in. You have the entire day off and to yourself." He put her away from him and she protested at the lack of heat. "Tomorrow we'll go and get you a proper wardrobe."

"I've got sweaters and plenty of different jackets." She complained, not wanting to spend money on clothes she would never wear again after this year.

"But you're missing the most essential things. The things that go _under _your clothes and you need some fleeces and corduroys. Not to mention snow-pants and windbreaker pants and sweats and lots of warm, moisture wicking thin layers." Serena grumbled good-naturedly at him and he ruffled her damp hair. "And a blow dryer, you won't want to be going around with wet hair."

"Anything else?" Serena asked now that he's gotten a list going.

"Some proper gloves and socks wouldn't hurt either. And better boots for when you're trekking around on the snow banks. Maybe a neck and lower face protector. Some ear muffs and another hat or two that you can stuff into your pockets along with a spare pair of gloves."

"Will I really need all that if I'm going to be down here most of the time?"

"Well it wouldn't hurt." He cautioned. "You never know when you'll need something dry, but maybe not _all _of it, but then again, with your thin skin, you'll probably need more." He was teasing her, but there was a note of truth behind his words. "And if you do go up, which I'm sure you will, then it's better to be safe than frozen."

"If we get any snow." She rolled her eyes. "I thought you promised me a white Christmas."

"That's not for over another month." He scowled down at her but he had trouble holding it. "You can't hold me on my promises until they actually happen." He pulled her into a quick hug. "You sure you don't want to go with us?"

"Picking up branches? No thanks, not this time. I'm sure I'll be happier inside where I'm at least protected from the bone-chilling wind." She caught his hand. "Thanks, Andrew for taking me today, it was a blast. I really enjoyed it. I'd love to see what its like with the proper set up."

"It's fun too. Usually that path we took was a summer attraction and the cars had wheels, but we made do with the water." He lifted her chin and kissed her on each cheek. "I'll be back tonight. You don't have to wait up for me."

She glanced at the clock, it was only four. They'd turn on the lights on the tracks for them once the sun went down. "I don't think that'll be a problem, you won't be out there for another seven hours."

"No, probably not. All right, so then don't wait for me if you get hungry and want to eat again. I'll join you if you're there, but if not, I'll assume you either have or don't want to yet." Though she wouldn't be hungry for dinner again until seven or eight now that they've ate lunch so late.

"Sounds just fine." She gave him one last hug and wished him to be safe up there, though she knew he was perfectly capable of looking out for himself. Once he let himself out, the door clicked shut and she went about doing as he suggested. She boiled a pot of water, found one of those reheatable water bottles and threw it in the microwave. Then she scouted out her comforter from her room. Her room didn't have a fireplace though the main room did, as did the master. This one was between the kitchen and the sitting room with access to it on both sides. It was going the entire time, Andrew made sure to put a thick log on it every day and smaller ones throughout so it was always burning.

Serena didn't think she would know how to start it if she was asked. She really was out of place up here, and it was getting more noticeable everyday. Now that people weren't asking her if she needed help or assuming she could do it, she was feeling more lost than when she first arrived.

She poured herself a mug of tea with lid and brought the warm water bag over to the couch where she cocooned herself in. Her cellphone was sitting on the end table and she set the tea down next to it. She hugged the water bag against her as she turned on the TV and found a movie on Lifetime. The other channels were getting spotty reception.

Sleep must have caught up with her after weeks of not having any, because she didn't remember a single thing about the movie and her tea was still full when she woke up unexpectedly with the sun down and the only light coming from the fireplace. What had woken her up? Why was the TV off?

–

The TV must have turned off, like the lights because the power went out. There was a knocking on the door. Serena got up and untangled herself from the blanket. She made her way to the door by use of firelight and her phone. It had no bars, but it was a pretty good flashlight when worse came to worse.

She pulled open the door, thanking all that was merciful that she had done it right and didn't need someone practically knocking the door down from the other side. She opened it to see Raye with a basket on her arm and a handful of flashlights in her hand. "Happens sometimes." Raye shrugged. "Need a light?"

"Sure. I'm not sure yet where they're kept in here. I've been using my phone."

"Looks like someone just got out of bed. Or never went in to it." Raye retorted with a critical eye over Serena's less than pressed dressed. Raye was immaculate as ever.

"I fell asleep on the couch watching a movie." Serena admitted. "I was loathe to move from my warm spot."

"Sorry." Raye grinned sheepishly. "But I've brought you provisions. The power should be back on tomorrow so in the meantime the central air is down and you'll have to stick near the fireplace. Shouldn't be a problem as there's one in the master. Is it burning or do you need help? It should really be allowed time to heat the room before you go in. Sheets will be cold, but there's no helping that.

"It's doing fine." Serena lied hoping it was the truth. She didn't know if Andrew left that one going too. It was a safety issue to leave fires going in rooms nobody frequented during the day. She didn't want Raye to notice anything amiss with his room if it was obvious she didn't share it.

A shrug was her response. "All right then, glad to see you in. I've got to go deliver this stuff to the rest of the staff and guests."

"Do you need any help?" Serena asked cautiously. "You don't want to strain yourself by over-lifting."

She was given a wry smile. "These are surprisingly light weight. Amy's gone off to do all the hard work, even Lita's given the kitchen a rest to fill in for me where I'd usually be. Much too heavy for me in my state." She waved a flashlight. "I'm given these as a diversion. Keeps me happy and staying out of trouble."

"Though you're not very happy." Serena read right through her words and Raye nodded. "Come back here when you're done, we can share some tea. I'd say we could watch some TV, but just talking would be good too."

Raye's lips fluttered into a smile and nodded. "I'd like that a lot." She half turned when she looked back at Serena. "Make sure you close the door right or I won't be able to get in."

A wide grin crossed Serena's face as she beamed up at the older girl. "Not to fear. I've got closing it down when I'm inside, it's opening that's the problem."

"At least you have that." Raye laughed. "It's gotten around the grapevine that you have difficulty with it, no matter how many times Andrew shows you." Raye winked. "I'll show you a trick or two that I learned early on and doesn't need manpower."

"That'd be wonderful." Serena's eyes seemed to glitter and she caught Raye staring. "It's be a stress off my plate if I could get in and out on my own." She finished trying to turn that attention off.

Raye caught on. "Sorry Serena, I just never noticed before how much your eyes gleam."

Serena's smile turned a little unsure. "Like I've been crying or something?" That's about the only time Serena heard those words linked.

"No, like there's a light coming through from behind them." Raye forced herself to look away. "It's enchanting."

Serena took pity on Raye. It always disconcerted her when people stared at her, but Raye was just taken off guard by it. "Don't worry about it, I'm used to it, but I always feel like there's something on my face. I just need to get used to the fact that my eyes are a bit... striking." She was going to say off-setting but that was too down rather than being herself. She liked her eyes, she often found herself looking into them, she couldn't fault anyone else for doing so. Not even people who saw her all the time.

Raye laughed again. "They are all of that. I'll be only a few minutes." Raye disappeared along the hall and Serena closed the door, going over to reheat the water.

There was a knock again before the water boiled and Serena practically hopped over to the door and pulled it open, a grin on her face. Raye returned the look and Serena let her in. Over the last few weeks, Raye's mound became a bit more rounded and pronounced. Where before Serena's keen eye and intuition caught it, people would have to be blind or in denial. But she still looked fantastic. Raye put a hand over it when she was struggling to move the chair out so she could sit at the bar and realized with her added inches she was too close to the edge.

She had to get off to push the chair back a bit and then sat down again. She gave Serena a harassed look. "Nobody ever told me that everything I do naturally is wrong once you get pregnant."

"That can't be true." Serena tried to understand.

"It is. Can't wear what I like to wear, I can't drink, I can't lift anything over a certain weight. I have to go to bed after a certain time and get so many hours of sleep or at least try to. I have to eat certain foods, Lita has to specially create for me. Every time I think I got a distance measured out, the next day its further, but not as far as I think it is. It takes like three tries every time to get it right."

Serena laughed. "That sounds absolutely miserable. Remind me never to get pregnant."

"Andrew might have something to say about that." Raye teased. "He might be more excited for kids than you are. Have you talked about it?"

Er... no they hadn't. Serena bit her lip, trying to come up with the best answer that would satisfy Raye but not lie to her. "Our relationship is still pretty new in that regards. We were friends for so long and this marriage kind of came about quickly. We haven't talked too much about that."

"That can ruin a relationship and should have been discussed before marriage." Raye cautioned, not scolded. "I should know." She muttered to herself.

"He didn't want kids?" Serena's hand covered hers, concern in her face.

"Actually, he did. I didn't." Raye rubbed a hand over her belly. "When I told him that I wouldn't keep it, he walked out on me." Raye quirked her lips up on the side. "No he didn't, I've told everybody that, but I pushed him away and I know he'd be here for me if I let him. He wants it when I give birth, wanted to marry me, but now... I'm not so sure. I miss the hell out of him. I have also bonded with the baby and I don't want to give it up."

"Have you called him?" Serena asked, leaning across the bar and lending Raye her support in this trying matter.

"Many times. He hasn't responded." Raye looked away. "I'm afraid he's changed his mind too, that he no longer wants either of us. I've left messages but nothing."

"Where is he?" Serena didn't want to jump to conclusions with Raye.

Her lips twisted in response. "I don't know, he travels a lot. He's a huge adventure junkie. I'm actually a little worried he's hurt or dead somewhere and nobody's told me."

"That's a lot of stress to be having and putting on the baby." Serena looked at Raye for a second before moving the water off the burner and then coming around to wrap the other woman in her arms. "Is there anything I could do?" She asked.

"Just take off the stress of having an empty lodge." Raye teased. "I'd like to have an income at the very least."

Serena's mind started moving quickly, she'd do Raye one better. "What kind of adventures is he interested in?"

"Snow sports mostly, he stopped that for the last few months to be with me but since kicking him out, I'm sure he's gone back to that. Otherwise he's a huge waver. Sorry, that's surfer in non-Pony speak. He likes the hikes too and mountain bikes."

Serena nodded mentally writing all of this down. "Ever thought about having a small scale Olympics?"

"There's never enough people." Raye hedged. "Even if there were we couldn't hold all of them."

"No, but a challenge to the best of the best wouldn't run amiss." Serena was thinking of it now, not necessary Olympics but an obstacle course involving all the snow sports, who ever did them all and got the best score would receive some kind of prize. She'd have to find some kind of way to broadcast it and ensure that only those serious about attending all if not most of the courses were allowed for the event. It could be the February Freeze Fest or something. "What's his name?" She asked, that was seriously important.

"Jace DeWitt." Raye rolled her name. "Totally fits him, doesn't it?" And surprisingly it did. Serena smiled broadly at Raye. Raye looked back at her a little nervous. "What? What is it you've got going on in your head."

"Not to worry. I'll do a little digging, ensure that he's alive and bring him back to you. Just take care of yourself and the baby and I'll do the rest."

Raye was shaking her head. "You are an interesting puzzle dear Serena, and I'm excited to see what you have in store for us."

Andrew's words came trickling back and she hesitated before changing the subject. "I was wondering if I could get some funding to put a lot of these ideas into action?"

"Sure." Raye stretched. "But you'll have to talk to Amy first. You'll need two votes and her expertise in the financing. She'll know how much we can spare for your endeavors. But you're marketing, not events." Raye reminded her. "So don't stretch yourself too thin, they have a different budget and if you work with them, I'm sure they'll be happy to help out."

"Who's events?" This was the first Serena had heard of it and Raye grinned like a chestier cat. She might run the lodge, but she wasn't in charge except to ok it and oversee a lot of the staff. Amy sure wasn't that wasn't her cup of tea and Lita had her hands full with the restaurant both front and back of the house minus accounting. Lita had to go through Amy to ok the budget there too but by now Lita had full access to how much she deemed she needed, it was just a formality to write it down and get the money.

"You haven't met them yet." Raye's smile widened if at all possible. "You'll love them, but they won't be here until the season starts, if it ever does." Raye groaned. "Your ideas may be well and good but if we don't have the base materials to work with, then we're all out of jobs."

"Don't worry about the weather, you don't have control over that either. Just worry about what you do have control over and not even then, trusting that you have under your hands a well-oiled ship that can run on its own steam."

Serena's advice amused Raye. "And what do you suppose I do with my time instead?"

"Eat, sleep and relax."

"Hmm." Raye hummed in the back of her throat. "Not a bad idea. I'll take you up on that advice. I like you too much Serena, you may never leave us."

"I'm a complete package." Serena reminded her.

"Oh, Andrew already knows that if the students like him, he's golden." Raye laughed. "He keeps worrying that I'll change my mind tomorrow and have him sent to jail or something."

"He's worrying?" That was the first Serena was hearing of it. He'd been so happy and excited to run around and do everything he could get his hands on. He was having so much fun trying different things and being involved with all the processes he'd just assumed as happening naturally before. Maybe he was just hiding or dismissing the fear that they'd be found out, too.

"Yeah. Tell him to relax like you've told me." Raye laughed deliciously. "Or better yet, help him take that nervous tension off the good old fashioned way. A massage leading to something more..." Raye's smile was meant to include Serena as if they were old friends gossiping about their love life and Serena forced herself to respond normally, sharing that smile and refused to blush thinking about doing that with Andrew.

"I'll see to it he doesn't bother you with that anymore."

"It's not a bother, and he's not really that concerned, just every once in awhile I get that impression when he's sitting around doing nothing and isn't with the rest of the staff, laughing or eating or whatever else they do together. I'm sure he's just trying to make sure his feet are on steady ground and doesn't want to concern you with it. You've only been here a few weeks and have enough to worry about on your own." Raye paused a moment. "Mind if I ask you something? I'd only really ever been with Jace- shocking as that is." Raye laughed at Serena's face. "I had a few fumbles in the dark with a boy I knew in high school but that lead to nothing and he got married to this abhorrent girl in the next town over. There were three towns in all in our high school since one alone wasn't big enough." She clarified. "Any rate, the high school thing was just that, nothing serious and completely awkward. Whereas with Jace, he's got the typical athletic physic but without all the hard labor. Long and sinewy but strong. It's more perfect than I could accurately describe, but I've always wondered what it'd be like with someone as big as Andrew."

Serena's eyes grew huge and she started chocking. "As big as Andrew?"

"Oh! Not that way! I haven't seen _that_." Raye blushed a deep red almost as dark as her dress the other day. "No, I just meant with how large he is in the sense that he's so broad and all muscle and kind of like a mountain man without the beard and blond instead of mahogany. I'm sure he's large in other areas too, but I wasn't prying about that. I'd think it'd be comforting and safe feeling, knowing nothing could get through him and get at you. Hell nothing could get through him and get at him. He seems impenetrable and a personality to boot!"

Serena cleared her throat and moved away from Raye and started bustling with something else so she didn't seem like she was lying. "Well it's all of that, I suppose, but city girls in this day and age don't exactly go looking for that sort of thing any more. There's a lot of metros, that's kind of in right now."

"Oh dear." Raye's laugh was forced. "I've embarrassed you. I would have thought you'd be used to this kind of talk."

"I- er- I am, but with Lizzy and never about Andrew. They're siblings you see, she doesn't want to hear it and I refuse to tell it. Lizzy being my friend first and all, it seemed weird when Andrew and I went from being friends to more than that and it was kind of a betrayal in all eyes." Serena didn't realize until now how accurate her words were. And it really was in _all_ eyes. Lizzy had looked upon her in shock when she heard about their first kiss. It was a little rough going after that but eventually it all smoothed out. Now they were all friends again. Lizzy was like a sister she never had and she had another best friend as well that was never quite as close but would stick, through thick and thin with them.

Molly would have never agreed to this, would have given Serena an ear full to even think of it and that's why she'd just told Molly she was going away for a year for her job and she'd be traveling to different places in the country. Molly hadn't fully believed it, but was excited for Serena's opportunity to get out of dodge for a little while and get to see something different. But Molly was a different part of Serena's life. Lizzy and her had never got on too well though by looks they could have passed as sisters, whereas Andrew and her had similar coloring but that's all.

It was Raye's turn to do the comforting and it was only to quiet the blood racing in Serena's pulses. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked. It's all right, I do understand. What goes on behind the bedroom door is entirely between the two sharing the bed and it has nothing to do with anyone else. I know that in my relationship with Jace it was always just about the two of us, nobody else factored into it, even when others tried."

"He sounds like an interesting character, can you tell me about him?"

"Sure." Raye accepted the cup of tea Serena handed her and got off the bar stool to go settle onto the couch and started in about Jace's antics.

She had Serena laughing so hard she was tearing up towards the end. Then their talked changed subjects, away from the overly personal and into the benign. Raye and Amy were so easy to talk to once their barriers lowered a little and they were good conversationalists.

When the lights came back on, the generator finally kicking in, Serena was sorry to see her new friend go. "We'll have to go out into town one of these days and get something to eat or share more stories over another drink." Raye patted her belly. "Hopefully soon before I'm too big to move and before the baby's born."

"Of course." Serena agreed readily, she'd enjoy that a lot. "Maybe sometime next week if we get the chance."

"Sounds perfect." Raye paused for only a brief second before she threw her arms around Serena and gave her a big hug. "Thank you for talking with me. Have a good night, hopefully Andrew will be back soon."

"Oh, he will, they're just clearing off the hills. Apparently it takes awhile."

"You really have no idea." Raye laughed. "I used to be out there with them before we got the ATVs and snowmobiles. It took days sometimes, especially as the higher up you went, the less likely the truck would make it. So you had to go by foot. Kept me in shape at least. Now, its harder in the dark but they'll call it quits soon if they haven't already."

The door opened just as she stopped speaking and Andrew looked at the dark haired woman in surprise. "Raye? Is there anything wrong?" He hadn't seen Serena at first and now he acknowledged her by pulling her into his arms and kissing her temple.

"Nope, nothing at all. Serena and I were just enjoying a lazy evening in each others company. The power went out earlier. I'm surprised you didn't notice."

"We were on one of the bowls." Andrew admitted. "The safety lights don't reach it." He explained to Serena. "They like to keep the guests on the Eastern slope when the sun goes down so it makes it easier to round people up."

"Ah." Serena pretended she knew exactly what he was talking about. She didn't even know there were lights or where they extended to. By the time night fell she was usually wrapping up her dinner with some of the guests in the restaurant and then coming back to shower and work on her ideas. Most of her time outdoors or looking at it was during the day.

"Well I should get going. Good night you guys." Raye gave them both another hug before letting herself out. She never did show Serena that trick, oh well, another time.

"Did you have a good evening?" Andrew asked Serena, letting her go but not putting any more distance between them.

"I sure did. Raye's a lot of fun to be around during a power outtage, I wonder what she'd be like with everything at her disposal." Andrew laughed at the idea. "How did branch managing go?"

"I like that, I'll have to use it myself. Wonderful, to answer your question, we got a bowl finished and the Eastern slope of the ski hills."

"That's the side facing us?"

"You really are oblivious to this, aren't you? I should teach you so people don't think its odd that you're so disinterested in what your husband does for a living."

"Or I could truthfully tell them it doesn't interest me but I allow you to have your fun with it."

"You're only uninterested in it because its not a water sport." He caught her on that one and she grinned. "Or ever really been exposed to it, despite my efforts for several years to take you out to them."

"That's not fair. I went ice skating with you that once in Maryland. Your mother was scandalized for a week!"

Andrew started laughing. "We were already living together, what did a _planned_ vacation matter? It wasn't like we were alone either. Lizzy came with us."

"Lizzy likes skiing." Serena surmised. "She would have been a better choice out here in the wiles where all people do all day long, every day is ski."

"Not today." And it was the same song and dance she'd heard for the last few weeks. No snow, no skiing, no fun.

"There has to be some other form of entertainment in this town!" And with Serena's words he grinned. "What? What did I say?"

"How would you like to join me for some late night entertainment, the best this town's got to offer?" He batted his eyelashes at her innocently and she lifted a brow in curiosity. "Come on, bring your wallet."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Serena giggled as Andrew guided her down the darkened halls as if they were fugitives. His hand was firmly wrapped around hers so she wouldn't get lost and they moved with some speed though hugging the wall. She thought it was a little over the top and mostly for show, but she'd play along. It was exciting and fun just to be out doing something other than the routine she seemed to have gotten into over the last week.

He stopped at the front desk and spoke with the person on duty while Serena dutifully waited for them to finish. The staff member looked at Serena with something of distrust and Serena smiled stunningly at him. The man turned back to Andrew with less of an attitude and then Andrew was pulling her along again. Through more darkened halls and slipping passed guests still awake and enjoying their nights.

Serena caught for a brief moment the lights on snaking up the mountain but before she could really admire it, the lights were doused. It wasn't only outside either, the generator must have gone out as well. "I thought we were getting a new one." A new voice commented in frustration and Serena recognized it as female.

Andrew pushed through the door separating them from the others and found herself in the back of the kitchen again. She hadn't been here since that first week, never really having a need to, except to visit Lita. But they were in deeper than before. A part of it Serena didn't know existed and a table was set up with chairs all around it. Most of them were occupied.

The voice had been Amy's and Serena was surprised to see the shy girl willingly in a somewhat big crowd. Another person was responding and Serena was surprised to see Nashashuk sitting across from the sibling of the woman she had just spent a lot of time with. Amy looked up with censure towards Serena, somewhat surprised to see the blond as well.

"I thought it was about time to introduce her to the rest of you, properly at least." Andrew sank into a chair and there weren't any open ones so he pulled her onto his lap. Serena wrapped an arm around his large neck because its what was expected of her. Lita sat next to Amy, away from her husband and a few other various members of staff were with them.

"She doesn't get to be a second mind to your cards." Lita warned. "We've already lost enough money to you as it is." Lita smiled at Serena then, her green eyes glowing like a strange kind of fire. "Welcome Serena, we were wondering when you'd join us. Andrew's been a regular here since almost the start. I thought he might be keeping you away so you don't lose all of the money he makes off of us."

"I hadn't realized you had this back here."

"It changes location and occupants nightly." Lita said warmly. "Though a few are there every game. Amy, myself, Shuk and now Andrew."

"Is there a variation of your name that you don't get called?" Serena asked Nashashuk.

"Nope." His grin was white in his tan face, making his teeth seem even whiter. "Only Lits calls me that one though, thinking I'll get irritated enough one day to make her eat the tease, but she doesn't realize that she can't make me upset, I'll take any nickname she calls me as long as I still get to have her in my life at the end of the day."

"Careful, or I might call you something else." Lita batted her eyelashes at him.

"And I'll accept that too." Nashashuk replied warmly.

"You're no fun if you don't get riled up." Lita turned her eyes to Serena. "Infinite patience, our husbands, don't you agree?"

"No." Andrew cut in before Serena could respond. "Serena's the only one to make me impatient. The only one who can trip me up so much that I just get so..."

"Frustrated?" A helpful voice asked behind them and there were a few gasps and people tried to clear up the evidence.

"Darien." Amy hide the book behind her and Serena finally realized what it was that Amy was working on in private. It wasn't official paperwork, but rather a tracking of the gambling. "What are you doing back here?"

"I couldn't find either of my sisters so I decided to check back here to see if I could get something to eat for my troubles of coming all the way out here to fix not only the main supply but also the generator." His eyes traced the faces in the room. "What have I walked into?"

"Nothing, just a friendly gathering between staff." Lita smoothed over. "A few drinks and laughs."

"Then you wouldn't mind me joining you, would you?" Darien hooked a chair as he walked over and seated himself between Nashashuk and Andrew, meaning Serena was between Darien and Andrew. "Now, was it bring your own drinks and the three of us are left out?" His eyes scanned first Andrew and then Serena, and Serena felt a shiver curl through her as the eyes were sending her a different look than what they were sending Andrew. The one he sent her was a lot more primitive.

"I'll go get them. Beers?" Lita asked jumping to her feet.

Since it was the easiest, all three agreed. "You've come out to fix the power?" Serena couldn't help but ask and getting those dark eyes directed towards her once more. Part of her thought he'd left, she hadn't seen him most of the week since their little interlude on the balcony. "You don't have someone else come out to do it?"

"There would be, if it hadn't happened in the middle of the night and cut down the power to the phones." He reminded her. "Luckily Amy called me out to fix it on her cell and it was working well enough to get through. I've put in an order for a new back up generator but the main source is decent enough and I have the touch to get it up and running again. It seemed a waste to replace it when funding could go elsewhere."

"I see that working real well now."

"It was working again before it went out once more." Darien bit back and people looked on them somewhat amazed. Darien was usually pretty even tempered and while nobody wanted to cross him, was polite, fair and helpful. Serena was a sweetheart and to see the two of them get at one another like this was against both of their personalities.

"New Belgium, for you Darien. Blue Moon for you Serena. I hope you like it." Lita put the drinks in front of everyone and once Lita settled back in her seat again. The other staff members while comfortable and part of the work family, weren't very comfortable with the newest member to join their ranks, they could feel the tension in their bosses that wasn't usually there.

Darien shook his head after awhile when nobody really spoke. "Really, Ames? You think I'm dumb enough not to realize I'd walked in on a poker game?" Amy didn't seem the type to hide anything from Darien and Darien didn't seem the type to hold it against her unless it was a problem. So what was the matter? Why was Amy trying to hide it from him?

"Actually, you didn't." Amy replied cool;y. "We hadn't started and we weren't going to play poker."

"Then what were you going to play?" Darien tilted his head to observe his sister and all of her reactions.

"We hadn't decided yet." Amy paused ever so slightly, trying to take the bite out of her words. "But you're not invited, so go away."

"Amy!" Serena was shocked at the girl's attitude towards her brother. One could never know, they seemed like they were so close and Amy seemed like she looked up to her big brother though no more than four years separated them. Serena didn't know they were hiding this antagonism.

Darien started laughing and Serena didn't think it was funny. How could he take his sister's blatant dislike of his presence here so lightly? "I think our newest member to the town has gotten it all wrong, sister dear. She thinks you don't like me."

"At the moment she might be right." Amy bit out harshly but the she turned her eyes to Serena. "It's not him, so much as that whenever he's around _no_body else wins a single game. He takes all of our money. Nobody knows how he does it."

"It's not like its magic, Amy, I'm just very good at reading people." Darien's eyes lingered on Serena and he clarified. "Most people, that is."

"It's what makes you good at your job, but we don't need you here, taking all our money." Amy insisted.

Serena held Darien's gaze and then smiled slowly. "No, Amy, let him stay for a few hands. I'm willing to part with a few dollars if it'll make him feel like his trip out here from his Ranch was worth the drive."

"You don't know what you're doing." Darien warned her. "I'll clean you out and then wipe the floor with you."

"I'm a big girl, I can handle myself."

"That you can." Darien agreed, his tone getting huskier to her own ears but nobody else seemed to notice. Though Andrew shifted uncomfortably beneath her.

"Probably best if you have your own seat if the two of you are going to be so serious." Andrew's big hands easily picked her up as if she weighed nothing and then put her back down on the chair. Then he got his own and slid in between her and Darien. She couldn't help but feel the small flicker of loss at the new distance.

Amy pulled out three different games. "What would we like to play?"

Darien's eyes flickered over to Serena. "You chose, you're the newest one here."

Serena didn't even look at the choices, her hand covering the one in the middle. Her eyes never strayed from Darien's.

Turns out, she chose Uno, a game she knew the rules to and was informed a few additional ones to make the game more interesting. Winner got the money in the pot, which was a few dollars from each person. More was added if they wanted out earlier than it ended.

A few members ventured for that path as an hour slipped by and the game had no intention of ending. In the end, Nashashuk, Lita, Andrew, Amy, Serena and Darien were left, the rest of the staff giving in and going away, either for their shifts or to sleep.

Another hour and three bottles of beer were consumed by the females and double for the males. Amy had five cards, the lowest she'd been all night, Lita had more cards than she cared to count, Andrew and Nashashuk both had ten each while Darien had two and Serena had one. Darien got into a pickle, either he had to pick up more cards or use his trump card. He'd rather have one card left and take his chances than keep drawing until he could change the color. He placed the color changer and it was a plus 4 and Andrew didn't have anything to add to that. He picked up four cards while Darien decided on what color he wanted the game to go round on.

"Hmm... What color do you have left, Serena?" He was still smarting that she beat him to the call of 'Uno' and couldn't load her hand like she'd done to him the time before when he was down to one. "Is it red?" Her eyes held his, not willing to give anything away. "No.. is it yellow?" Her eyes must have flicked because he grinned. "Anything but yellow, hmm? I choose... blue." Andrew followed the color choice and laid down a blue nine. Serena grinned and Darien had to know he lost. "Yellow nine?" He asked on a hoarse whisper but instead when she put hers down on top of Andrew's it was another blue nine. "A perfect match."

Was Serena mistaking the sadden note in his words? But why? Amy squealed and started clapping her hands. "Someone's finally beaten Darien!" She threw her arms around Serena. "You're my hero!" Either Amy was so excited, relaxed with this group or was a little drunk, Serena didn't know, but she caught the girl and carefully put her back up right. "But how? How did she beat you Darien? You were so sure she had a yellow card!"

"She's good at lying to me. That's not news." Darien pushed himself to his feet and looked at Amy, anywhere other than Serena and the hurt his words caused her. She tried to staunch it, she was having so much fun before that. "I think I'd better get going. I wasn't planning on coming out here tonight. I have a lot of work still with the Ranch."

"Are you almost finished?" Serena asked on an unsteady breath.

His back straightened and he nodded, not looking at her. "In a week or so it'll be as ready for winter as its going to get and then they can maintain it. I'll be around until then and then be getting out of everybody's hair."

Serena was both relieved and disappointed all in one go. In a week and then she'd never see him again. "But Thanksgiving!" Amy protested.

"And if I attend Thanksgiving, you'll be harping on me to stay through Christmas, and then after Christmas it will be New Years and then Valentines Day and from there I'll never get out of here again. There'll always be another holiday to keep me around."

"Exactly." Amy was pleased with herself and the idea.

"No." Darien stated firmly and calmly. "I have a life outside of this place."

"But not for long. You'll be coming home soon for good, right?"

"I don't know." Serena was sure his eyes were on her and Andrew and she looked up, but they were already back to his sister. "At any rate you were trying to get rid of me not too long ago, remember?"

"That was just for the game, not for ever." Amy was injured by his comment and he ran a hand through his hair.

"I'm sorry." He relented. "But I'm going to go now, you have another week." He leaned down and kissed her on both cheeks. "Good night." It was meant for Amy but it encompassed the rest of them too.

As he left, Serena swooped down to pick up the money she'd made, not much, but it did make the game more interesting. Andrew was saying goodnight to everyone and talking with Lita and Amy. Nashashuk was watching her with an odd look. Her eyes locked on his and he grinned. "Interesting tactic, looking only at Darien the whole time, not caring what anyone else did."

"It worked, didn't it? He worried about everyone and everyone worried about everyone else, I did what I set out to do and only watched the one that could hurt me the most."

He nodded as he thought about her words. "That is very true, words to keep in mind for both games and in life." He ignored Serena's quick searching look as Andrew came over and urged her back towards their rooms. What had that meant? Serena threw a hasty goodnight to everyone as they left.

Andrew had been oddly quiet since he'd taken his spot between Darien and her and now he was quiet again. He wasn't making his usual jokes or touching her throughout the game like he usually did. Perhaps it was because he didn't want her to lose focus, or perhaps because he was upset about something.

She cornered him on it the moment the door closed behind them. "I don't like the way he looks at you. As if he wants to skin your hide one moment and the next flatten you and teach you a lesson." Andrew admitted and his words sent her in a vivid imagination of both, sending a chill up her back. "Neither of them are very flattering, and that's not even because I'm there. His eyes flicker to me and he recalls that you're attached and then he's back to wanting to beat you. I didn't know him before, but I take it it is very out of character for him. I've seen him with others and its only with patience looking back at them. Maybe a mild irritation when someone hangs on too much, but always polite and never something as cruel as his looks to you."

"Is that why you sat between us?"

"I was worried he'd raise a hand to you if you won."

"He's not easily readable." Serena commented lightly. "But I know he wouldn't hurt me like that. As you've said, it's not his character."

"No, he's not, which is why its so surprising to see such depth of emotion coming from him in regards to you. But you never speak with each other. That's what I can't understand. This antagonism has sprung from nowhere."

Maybe not nowhere, but Serena didn't enlighten Andrew, he'd feel honor bound to do something. "Perhaps I'll speak with him, try to clear up the air a little." That was the last thing she _wanted_ to do, but she'd do it to put Andrew's mind at ease. "Now, on to another matter." She spoke quickly so he couldn't dwell on it and hash out more. He'd start asking questions she couldn't answer. "Raye tells me you're worried about your position here. Please believe that I'm in this all the way, that it will take something outside either of us for them to find out the truth. Your position here is safe. So try to relax and be happy."

Andrew pulled Serena into a tight hug. "Thanks, I know that, but I guess I just needed that reassurance. As for Darien, I'm not sure I want you speaking to him alone."

"He won't hurt me." Serena reiterated.

"No, but he might try something else." Andrew's tone was slightly dangerous with the thought of someone hurting her or making unwanted passes.

Serena rested her head against his chest, it was warm and familiar, she closed her eyes as she thought of home. "I can handle it." She finally commented. "Don't worry about Darien." She would be doing enough of that herself and she couldn't help but feel or hope that he'd sooner protect her than need protection from.

At least Andrew didn't pick up on her reaction to Darien. Andrew looked her over for a long time, trying to find a chink in her armor but then he laughed and wrapped her in another loose hug. "You were always so readable. All right fine, I won't worry about Darien, his designs on you or the fact that he could ruin everything for us. I know you won't do anything rash with him." Serena wished she'd had his confidence. For with the way she was charged whenever he entered a room, she wouldn't be very confident if she didn't jump the man every time she saw him, if he'd let her get that close. Their shared anger helped.

"Now it's time for bed." Serena announced and Andrew made a show of following her into her room and she laughed as she pushed him back out. "Separate beds." She patiently waited for him to bend down and kiss her lightly on the lips before leaving her in peace. She didn't think anything of it as she closed the door and slipped into something more comfortable.

Her dreams that night were filled with a very particular man and he was as dark as the shadows, weaving in and out of them, never knowing he was there until he appeared before her. Then he blended back in to await the next time he could pop out at her. She'd be terrified if she wasn't so intrigued and she started looking for him in her dream and in her waking state. He disappointed her however and didn't show up again. Then the week passed and he'd be on his way home.

–

Raye was the calmest anyone had ever seen her and it wasn't only that, she was calmer than _Amy_. For that, everybody noticed and stared and gossiped behind her back. Many thought it was the pregnancy, and if they did, they thought wrong. Only a few knew the truth and a few speculated.

Serena was one of the lucky ones who knew exactly why Raye wasn't suddenly snapping at her close friends or giving cold looks to anyone out of line. It was after all, Serena who had given her the ability to be so magnanimous.

"I like Raye, don't get me wrong." Andrew prefecated. "But this is very unusual behavior for her. You've only seen the sweet Raye, and this is above and beyond that."

Andrew was right in that, though Serena didn't realize that was Raye being sweet. If she had, she might have held back a little herself until she was more sure of the other woman. Who was she kidding, she would have still tried to make friends with the woman as fast as she had. "Maybe she's decided to stop worrying so much?"

"As she's said the exact same thing, I believe it is you we all have to thank for it?"

Serena jumped a mile high and she spun in midair to face him. Usually she was well aware of his presence through a sixth sense, today it failed her. "Way to go spidey-sense." She muttered to herself as she attempted to catch her breath.

"What was that?" He asked, purely amused. Andrew came to stand at her elbow. "Oh do call off the dogs, I'm not going to hurt you. I'm a little offended that you've seen to it that I'm not trusted in my own home."

Serena reached out and entwined her hand with Andrew's. "I did nothing of the sort. Maybe he's just responding to your blatant dislike for me."

"I've never said anything of the sort." Darien's voice was soft and chilling. Serena was thankful for the comfort and warmth Andrew provided. "At any rate, I'd like to speak to you alone."

"No." It was simple and direct and it wasn't from her lips. She was surprised that Andrew was getting involved in this.

"Don't you have some training to oversee?"

"Not today. Today I'm all Serena's." Andrew let the meaning hang in the air between them and Serena didn't bother to correct it.

"That's nice of them to give you time off to spend it with your wife." Darien replied dryly, his eyes taking in at once their stance of unity against him. "I'm not about to chop your head off."

"Could have fooled me." Again it was Andrew speaking. "You've instantly responded badly to Serena's presence and I'm not going to stand by as you make her feel bad. She's done nothing to merit it." In a fight, Serena put good money on Andrew winning, but only if it was fair. Then again his size automatically made it anything but and the opponent would _have_ to use other methods to win. So maybe in a fight out of sheer physical strength Andrew would win. On a game of wits, Serena had to reluctantly hand over victory to his opposite. Andrew was smart, but he wasn't as deviously clever as Darien seemed to be.

"Perhaps not in your view, no." Darien looked at Serena meaningfully and she had the sudden fear he was about to divulge all.

Serena shot forward, hoping to put a stop to that. "I'll talk with you." Serena released Andrew's hand. "Five minutes and then we'll go into town for lunch, all right?"

His lips compressed into a frown but he shrugged. "All right."

Darien lead Serena away from the room they were in and into a private conference room. "What now, Darien?" She asked tiredly. She was tired of expecting him gone and then him appearing out of nowhere, just like her dreams. But she had finally put it aside and thought she was safe when he did it again. His thumb ran lightly under her eye and she looked wounded up at him.

"You're tired." She was doing such a good job and convincing everyone else that she was tireless, but he'd seen right through her. "What's the matter? Andrew keeping you up too many nights in a row?"

"Can't sleep." She admitted instead. "Been having nightmares."

"I can attest to that." Darien agreed. "Anything you can share?" With a shake of her head, he sighed. "Mine have all been about you."

"What a novel expression." Serena backed away but ended up against the wall. "Me being the ogre and eating the villagers, no doubt."

"Those would have been easier to deal with." Darien looked away first from their staring contest, but he would share no more about those nightmares. "I've come to talk to you about Raye. What did you tell her?"

"To take it easy and not to worry about anything that someone else can handle." Serena explained. "She's tired and worried about Jace and- what did I say?"

"You know his name?" Darien's expression had closed down and she couldn't read anything in it.

"Yes, why?"

"She wouldn't even tell me that much. Short for Jason, I imagine?" Serena shrugged, Raye hadn't said and even though she got a last name, she wouldn't share anymore personal information unless Raye gave her permission to. "Why is she worried about him?"

"He hasn't responded and he's liable to get himself into dangerous situations. I haven't been able to find him yet either." Thought that was before he hinted at a full name. Maybe Jace was just what his very best friends called him.

Darien nodded thoughtfully and then anger crossed his features. "So you thought that plying Raye with falsities about finding her missing boyfriend would secure you a vote and being nice to Amy would get you another? What are you playing at? Why do you need so much money from them?" He reached out and withdrew before he touched her. "Getting you two votes is pointless, I'm not giving you the money you requested."

"Amy said I could." Serena denied. "Amy said you don't have as much power here as you'd like to throw around. That you only have a _third_ of the vote and ownership of the land and if they stick together they outvote you."

"That's what it looks like on paper and if they sell, I couldn't stop them, though I'd be very firm on my stance against it first. At any rate, this place can't keep going without me. I am the one who has a retainer room reserved under a false name and pay to keep it unoccupied. That's only one way in which I am responsible for keeping this place afloat and if I decide you can't have the money, you can't. I'd rather pull out all the backing than let you have a dime."

"I've got plans!" Serena denied hotly. "The money isn't for me, but to make it possible that you don't need to support them any more."

"You're a gold-digger who will stop at nothing to take what you can." Darien's voice rose a few octaves and when Andrew knocked and let himself in, Darien's voice was harsh as he bit out a single word. "What?"

"I want you to apologize to her." Andrew put himself in between them. "She's got an amazing brain and is quite creative. If she thinks she can put something together that can improve this place's occupancy load, you should let her do it. She's shared quite a few wonderful ideas with me so far and I think she should go for them. If you spent any time with her, not yelling or threatening her in some way, you'd know that too. You only have to listen, for once, and you'll be sold too."

They held gazes for so long that Serena's breath was starting to burn in her chest. She thought they might come to blows over this, over her and her thoughts and desire to put money behind her endeavors, but Darien finally released _his_ breath and gave a curt nod. "You might be right. You certainly know how to stand your ground." Darien receded but Serena had a strong feeling that it was Andrew who really lost. That Darien was just biding his time for something more important and if it was, nobody could win against him. She knew she sure couldn't on willpower alone.

Something was in his eyes though as he gauged Andrew. Something that Serena couldn't quite discern. Serena watched the two of them interact with open curiosity. Andrew turned to look at Serena. "Are you ready to go now?"

"Yes." Serena agreed and they turned to leave but Darien called her attention back to him.

"I'll tell Amy I think its a good idea to allow you some finances to put in action a _few_ of your ideas. Just... nothing crazy yet, all right?" Serena gave a short nod, but in her own gut she knew that to make any difference they'd have to do something big.

Andrew guided her out and helped her into his truck. He drove out to the town though Serena had walked to it often enough in the last three weeks. It was a mile or so away and when she slid off the seat and dropped down onto the ground she was thankful for Andrew's smart thinking. It was _cold_. She stuffed her hands into her pockets and wished she'd brought her scarf and hat along as well.

"Come on." He directed her to a shop and proceeded to load her up with things she'd need for her stay out here.

"Andrew-" She tried to protest but he'd hear none of it and even overrode her when she tried to pay. "Fine, but I get to buy you lunch."

"That's a deal." He kissed the tip of her nose and loaded all of her packages into the car. Over paid for, but specially designed for the environment. Then he closed the door and walked with her into town. "First I'll give you a proper tour. There are two hospitals, don't ask why, there just are. And three clinics. Apparently everybody thinks that their town is big enough to warrant it here." He rolled his eyes and she giggled. He stopped in front of one of the hospitals. "This is the one that we'll take anyone who's injured to." Across the street he pointed out a clinic. "That's where Raye goes for her check ups."

"Usually clinics across the street from hospitals aren't the best." Serena put out there curiously.

"No, I don't suppose they are, but since its such a small town and there aren't many places to put one, there you have it. Behind it, that large building is the other hospital. They deal with more high altitude illnesses. Raye's going to have to go to Billings before she gives birth and then stay there for awhile."

"People don't have babies up here?"

"There's only once place in the US where people have become attuned to living in high altitude to stay up there for most of their lives and that's in Colorado. We're too high up but haven't been up here long enough to stay through all the cycles life gives us." He nudged her forward. "Come on, I want to introduce you to our resident doctor."

"The rest are fly ins?" Serena teased but when Andrew shrugged, her eyes grew round. "Really? How many doctors stay on then?"

"Three. One here, one at the clinic, and then one doing daily studies at the other hospital. The rest are here a few weeks of the year and are constantly shifting."

"Talk about consistency of care."

"That's why he's here, he's the primary physician for everyone that comes through with an emergency but others are here in case something big goes down. Most of the time they're napping or playing video games. Not much happens here and if there's a major illness like cancer, they head out to the major cities, usually in other states." Andrew opened the door and once they walked in, she saw that on the outside the hospital looked large, but that was only in comparison with the buildings around it. There were four floors and held probably three surgeries on each of the floors designed for that and a few overnight rooms on the fourth. Probably ten in all. The entire first floor was reception and waiting. A nurse looked up excited but when she saw Andrew and Serena walk in on their own steam she settled back into her chair discouraged. "I'm showing Serena around."

The nurse waved them on. "Go ahead." She made a face before summoning up a smile. "Nice to meet you."

Serena nodded in response, though she didn't feel the same way. "Don't mind her, she's one of the rotation nurses. There's more of them around, and many stay on full time. They're a lot more friendly." Serena hoped so, if this was the kind of care someone could expect, it was a very cold environment indeed.

They walked into one of the rooms on the top floor and a man in a white coat turned towards them. "Ah, Andrew, nice to see you again. What a pleasant surprise." He drew forward and clasped Andrew's hand, before engulfing him in a one armed hug that Andrew returned. Then he turned his eyes onto Serena. "And this must be your wife, R-"

"Serena." She cut in quickly and gave a short explanation. "I prefer my given name. For ahile I didn't mind until one day I looked up at someone calling me that and frowned. I hadn't liked it, it wasn't my name and it wasn't one I chose either." That was close enough to the truth.

"That's understandable." The man nodded, his piercing blue eyes looking at Serena in warmth. They were the color of ice chips, so white except for a ring of blue around the edges. His hair was also very blond but he was the slightest bit tan to save him from having alabaster skin. His voice while warm was accented and she was trying to place it. She'd been schooled in so many accents and she knew she'd heard this one before.

Then it hit her, she was very much aware of who he reminded her of, with his tall lanky form, swimmers muscles and long angular features. "You're from Sweden!"

"Norway, actually." He grinned at her. "But close enough. I lived near the boarder so perhaps my accent is Swedish or a strange mixture of the two. I get both often enough,even from my peers in Oslo where I did my studies."

"Oh? What town?" Serena couldn't quite say she demanded the answer but she was encouraging him to share more, quickly.

"Magnor." He supplied just as quickly.

"What brought you all the way out here to Pony, Montana?"

"I was offered a settled position and a promise to have my studies paid for if I were to finish up my degree here. I was only supposed to stay here for a five year stint, but I felt so much at home that I couldn't see to leave."

"I suppose its not much different." Andrew added. "Cold, wet, small."

"Amazingly beautiful. There is one difference, I am not American and so everyone who meets me is intrigued by my background. I do not get that so much in Norway until I speak."

"A real ladies killer, huh?" Serena already knew him to be a charmer.

"Zolton isn't seen too often with the ladies, are you?" Andrew teased.

"Pardon me?" Serena asked, unaccustomed to hearing a name like that.

"It's Hungarian, my parents reached outside our mixed community for something different. It means life, and so once they named me, my destiny was set." But there was a small amount of self-effacing humor to his words that belied Serena's concern that being a doctor was not what he enjoyed. "I love my job so it is only fitting that I'm named aptly. As for the female companionship, there are less here to chose from than back home, which is really a disappointing conclusion. At least in those which are single and are staying here permanently rather than as permanently as the season goes or until next year where they're off to another destination resort once they tire of this one."

Serena tilted her head in thought. "Surely you've met _some_ attractive women here in Pony that are unattached." A few popping into her head instantly.

Zolton shook his head. "Nope. Then again, I'm not exactly an A-list guest."

Serena grinned then. "I'll get you on the list for the next party we have and don't even think about telling me I shouldn't." Serena warned him.

"I wouldn't dare." He had a nice smile and Serena thought that if she wasn't already in too deep she wouldn't have minded going out a few times with him herself. She was always on the lookout for nice men with interesting stories to tell. But she wasn't his kind now, was she? He'd already told her exactly what kind of girl he was looking for and she didn't qualify, but Serena knew a few who might. Ah well, a flirtation wouldn't have hurt...

"We've got others to see." Andrew gently took her elbow and steered her out. "Catch you later Zolt."

Serena bumped hips with Andrew when they were back on the street. "You call everyone by a nickname, don't you?"

"Indeedly I do." He was such a kidder and when Serena rolled her eyes he threw her over his shoulder, ignoring her shrieks to be put back down as he took her back to the truck. "You are the only one there isn't an appropriate nickname for."

"I thought we had others to see."

"I've changed my mind." Andrew dumped her back in the car and then started driving away from the lodge's direction. "You're not too hungry, are you?"

Serena shook her head and Andrew started telling her about some of the other shops. There was the pharmacy and there was the vet clinic. "Where are we going?" She finally asked once the town was a distant memory.

"One of my favorite spots here." Andrew angled the truck around another steep curve and then they were angling down again. Another turn and they were going up. Pressure started to build up behind Serena's ears before they popped. Then they were pulling over along a trail. "Can't take you out here when the snow sets in unless we're on x-skis." Andrew explained as she popped down next to him as he opened her door and grabbed some of the gear he stashed in the back. He pulled a hat down over her ears and a scarf around her neck. "That should be good for now." Then he lead her along the trail. A few times she slipped, but Andrew caught her before she landed painfully on the icy ground.

"If you don't keep this up, we'll end up going back to where we just came from." Serena teased, but she was getting tired, she wasn't used to trekking so far in the cold or as high of altitude. Her shoes weren't designed for it either, especially as there was no give to the ground beneath her.

"I won't let you get hurt." He reassured her, his hand going back to hold hers in his and despite the fact that she had no gloves, her hand was warm.

"I know." And she really did, that was one thing she never doubted with Andrew. There weren't very many things she didn't trust him to do. And when he stopped suddenly, she almost ran into his broad back when he moved sideways and caught her from falling once more.

"There." His arm stretched out and she followed it towards his finger and then beyond. "See it?"

How could she not? "It's amazing." There was an ice skating rink, or rather at this moment, a pond in town, but up here, there was something else entirely. It looked like winking diamonds in the sun as it reflected off the mostly smooth surface. A little oasis away from even the remote life of the resort. The lake was large and Serena realized it was settled into the side of the mountain, having carved out a path long ago and then just filled in. It wasn't very deep, she could probably walk across the whole thing if the weather was warmer. It confirmed the awesome power of water and all it could do. She let go of Andrew's hand, and slipped across to it, gaining confidence as she went and sure footing. At the edge, she knelt down and dipped her fingers into the icy depths. It rippled in response and she gave a small laugh of joy. "How'd you find this thing?"

"I'm not the first to explore the area." He admitted bashfully, hunkering down next to her. "Nash pointed out the trail in the early fall and I took it up here and found it. I thought I wouldn't take anyone up here but things fell how they did and... when I knew you were coming, I decided I'd share it with you, knowing how much you'd appreciate it." Unlike someone else they both knew but it remained unsaid.

"It's beautiful. I could stay up here all day." Serena slipped her hand back into her pocket as it was cooling rapidly with the light icy breeze along her damp flesh.

"I knew you'd like it." He grinned suddenly. "And there's a story to go along with it." He reached out and drew a circle in the water before wiping the water off on his pants leg. "By the way, you can drink it, it's a natural tap without bacteria."

"Get on with the story." Serena wrinkled her nose. "And stop delaying."

"Yes ma'am." He saluted her and she couldn't help the giggle that slipped out. "They say when the Native Americans roamed these parts, a pair of lovers found their way here."

"Let me guess, star-crossed from warring tribes."

"Nothing so contrite." Andrew tapped her on the nose. "Now stop interrupting me."

"Yes sir!" A wink followed rather than a salute and Andrew laughed as he spoke.

"They were from the same tribe but their parents didn't completely agree to the arrangement, but gave in when they learned how much the children loved one another. They came up here one day to be alone and an old man was walking along the ridge. The girl was afraid but the boy was strong and was a hunter. He didn't believe the old man wanted to do them harm, he had been there first and even if he did, the boy would be able to fight him." Andrew's story paused for a moment and Serena silently urged him to continue. "The old man drew near, but at the time it was just a small little stream and told the couple that he was thirsty but had no way of drinking from the water."

"Couldn't he just use his hands?"

"He was old, Serena." Andrew's voice was teasing her, but it was a 'no duh' moment. "They were shaking too bad and any water he managed to get would never reach his lips. So the girl produced the cup she always wore around her neck made out of tree leaves. She brought the cup to the old man and held it against his lips while he drank."

"That's very nice of her, especially as she was so scared. Please don't tell me that he turns out to be a warring tribe member playing a trick and the water cures him."

"I'm not going to." He sighed dramatically. "Do you want to continue guessing or hear the rest of it?"

"Here the rest, I guess." Serena settled back onto her haunches.

"The man was so thankful for their help, and he told them that he was a magic man and offered to grant them one wish. Their wish was to be free to be faithful to one another for the rest of their lives."

"That seems a very odd wish." Serena lifted a brow questioningly, not thinking that'd be a wish she'd ever ask for, or even think of.

"Whatever, it was a long time ago and it's a story. Maybe the wording has gotten skewn over the years." Andrew waited for Serena's nod to continue. "The old man granted them the wish, but instead of removing the parent's objections to the relationship, they changed instead. In their place was a pair of bald eagles, powerful enough to always be free and they mate for life with one partner, so they'd always be faithful."

"So the point of this story?" Serena asked looking out over the sparkling lake. "Be careful what you wish for?"

"Nope." Andrew grinned when her eyes darted to him. "It just explains how Bald Eagles got up around these parts. There's a large gap for awhile with none around and then suddenly they take up once more here. They say it is still that same couple, and you can see them on occasion circling the mountains. If you're really lucky, you can see them on a clear day with their reflections just as large echoing back from the lake. If you're super lucky, you can capture it on camera."

"Has anyone?"

"No." Andrew shook his head. "Though I've tried. And don't think this would be a good tourist draw, it would ruin the pristine nature of the area. Only those that know its here generally find it."

Serena shrugged. "I certainly wasn't thinking of broadcasting it. I think it is so peaceful here, so majestic. I'd hate to run into someone anywhere near this trail if I wanted to get some place to ensure I'd be on my own for a little while. Thank you Andrew for showing me it."

"Not a problem." Andrew wrapped an arm around her shoulders and gave a small sound of dismay. "You're ice cold." He stood, taking her with him, it was cooler this high up and so close to a body of water, but she wasn't feeling adverse effects. "Hopefully it'll snow tonight, any colder and we'll lose the chance until it warms up again."

He was rubbing her arms with his hands as he guided her back the way they came, trying to get heat to her flesh but she stopped him and covered his hands with hers. "I'm all right, Andrew, really."

Andrew pulled her into a bear-hug for a moment and held on tight. "I just don't know what I'd do if anything ever happened to you."

"It won't, not as long as you're around to protect me." From what, she couldn't say.

"Speaking of protection." Andrew released her and took the lead. "Don't wander off into the woods on your own, really stay within sight of another being at all times."

"Safety precautions in case I fall and break something?"

"No, well yeah, that too, but there have been bears and cougar sightings around here, so just take care and stay well within sight."

"What can you do if they decide to attack us?" Serena was just really curious what his answer would be, it wasn't a challenge in anyway.

"I've been trained what to do and I've got backup." He put her hand against the small of his back and she felt something hard, almost like a handle of some sort under his jacket.

"Is that a knife or are you just happy to see me?" Serena quipped as they neared the entrance to the path.

"I'm always happy to see you." He took her way too literally. "But to answer your question, its' a gun." And she froze in her steps as she stared at him. He looked back and he instantly felt bad for his comment, pulling her into a hug but she was stiff and unresponsive. "It's not like that. It's to scare away the bears and other dangerous predators."

"Except for _the_ predator." Serena tried to make light of the situation and Andrew took it with both hands.

"Very true, and if I ever run into him, I'll make sure to drop it right away." Andrew glanced around to make sure the thing that could become invisible wasn't likely to pop out at him and kill him before he had the chance.

It was a slightly less upbeat drive back, but the more time they spent together, the less strained the conversation and Andrew pulled in front of a restaurant that Serena was dying to try. It was her turn to pay and it took every trick she had to ensure it. Andrew was being strangely obtuse about wanting to treat her right. Though supposedly the money she used was 'their' money, but not all couples were like that either... She'd hate to be so suspicious and killing the relationship before it even started but some people were a lot less dreamy minded than she was about romance and love.

The restaurant was nice and it had good food too, but it wasn't Lita's cooking or Andrew's and she found she missed it now that they'd been away the whole day. She laughed at herself as they walked back to the car and when he questioned her about it, also amused, she looked up at him. She pushed the hair out of her eyes, catching it up in one hand and grinned. "Just amazed at how readily I've thought of this place as home and how I'm already addicted to the fares and wares of the place."

"That's good." Andrew caught a wayward strand that blew into her eyes due to the wind. "It just means that you like it here and that you could see yourself being here longer than you originally thought." He bent towards her and all her thoughts about warning him off of being too gun-ho and that she took time off but after a year would be harder to reinsert herself into the life she left behind, and she would, drifted off in the knowledge that he was going to kiss her. A million protests sprang to mind, but they were on the sidewalk in the middle of the town and if she refused him, it would get back to everyone at the lodge in seconds.

She held herself still and tried to show him that she knew what he was doing and trusted him. A throat cleared from behind them and Serena's eyes lifted to see a little old woman who was clearly annoyed that they were taking up most of the sidewalk. "Disgraceful, you young kids these days." She huffed as she walked by and Serena and Andrew looked at one another before they started laughing. If only that woman knew what 'kids' were doing these days!

EAN: As for chapter 5, if any of you were wondering, I wanted one chapter without Darien in it or mentioned once or even a substantial reference. I felt there needs to be at least that because really life isn't hung up on one person. It might be to Serena, but not to his sisters or Andrew.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

AN: If anyone thinks that Serena and Darien are going around in circles, well, that's because they are and its completely intentional. Hehe... One minute they're getting on and the next they're raving at one another. And why not? They crave each other and so when that's denied they have to release their frustration in other ways. And then they feel bad because they know and try to be good with one another but that fails because of the first reason... so circles it is, but are they getting smaller and smaller leading up to an eventual confrontation or are they getting larger and larger, so far apart that they can't connect ever again? That they'll end up hating each other before the story's through?

–

It was the first day that Serena was going to be doing an honest day's work the whole time she had been here. Or at least appear so as she was going to go into her office. She loved the lodge but it wasn't a work place to her and she kept getting distracted by all the charming people walking about, willing to chat for awhile, whether they be guests or staff. She wasn't getting any work done and was thankful for Raye's forethought.

Besides, the lodge was her home, and she was never good at _working_ from home. She'd always feel like she could put it off for another time, that the days would stretch out in front of her indefinitely. Even at university she had school work and it wouldn't get done until the very last moment, where the rush job would result in As that all her work would never accomplish. But that was just how her brain worked and for this type of thing, she'd need to be putting up events well in advanced, but not too far or hidden that people forgot about them.

Since she was going to be working outside of the lodge today, she was going to be able to wear something other than black. While black was all well and good, it was a dreary and dreadful color on her, only meant to be worn at funerals or in the right base.

Since that base wasn't all that readily available to her now, she had only one or two tops that didn't bleach the tan from her skin. Not that she had much of one left now. It was just another thing that she could mourn the loss of, including wearing yellow. Yellow might look all right with her skin but the paleness of it now and the brightness of her hair, it wasn't wise if she didn't want to look like a sickling or fend off questions about her health. Still it was better than the black, looking at death's door was better than already having succumbed to it years ago.

So now she was standing before her closet, in her pink silk slip and terry robe that ended at her knees, she had a longer one for colder temperatures, but the heat inside was warm enough, thankfully. She was carefully pursuing her options when there was a knock at her inner door. "Come in." She called.

Andrew's head was not unexpected and it popped around the corner, making sure she was decent first. Not that looking would have saved him from seeing so if she weren't. But if she weren't, she wouldn't have allowed him entrance. "I dare say, you looked flushed today."

"It's a combination of wearing pink and excitement to see this space that Raye's set aside for me to use. It'll be like a proper job and I'll be sitting at a desk and everything. I always wanted to do that, at least temporarily, to see what it was like."

"You'll have plenty of time to research that as you're sitting there, bored out of your skull. I reassure you, the jobs you've had up to now are a lot better than ones at a desk. Trust me, it comes from personal experiences."

Serena's eyes met his and she frowned. "There was really a number done upon you, wasn't there?"

"I love doing this." Andrew sidestepped. "Any rate, you look great as is."

"I'm in my sleepwear." Serena objected. "And I can't go traipsing about in this through the lodge. I think Raye and Amy will have something to say about that."

"Too bad, I would have loved watching you come and go in that get up, but I suppose you're right, your legs would be frozen off before you got to the office."

Serena felt a blush come on, it was compliments like those that Serena sometimes couldn't believe were directed at her, even from Andrew. She was kind of over looked a lot growing up and just recently started getting stares and boys coming up to her, not too many, but it was a start. Though she hadn't lacked too much for boyfriends, it was different though, like she was finally coming in on her own. "Was there something you wanted?" She asked, trying to take the attention off of her and some place safer.

"I just got a call from Zolt, he was wondering about your adaption to life up here."

"You keep saying up, but everywhere I look, I have to look up to see anything besides mountains."

"Don't let them fool you, we're still several thousand of feet above sea level, even in the valley. I told him, by the way, that there didn't seem to be any problems, but I thought I'd ask to double check, he had to remind me that you could be suffering from AMS without my knowing it as blatantly as on the hills."

"Hills." Serena repeated feeling a bit faint to think of those as merely _hills_. "What symptoms?" Though she had rolled down and hiked several hills growing up, practically on her backstep, they weren't anything like this and those started at sea level.

"Nausea, dizziness, lightheaded? Feeling abnormally thirsty, as if all the water you drink can never be enough. Other symptoms too, but I don't know exactly what. I'll have to get him to send me the list. Like having a flu or trouble breathing. "

"Those two are nothing like one another." Serena teased. "But no, I haven't really felt anything like that."

"K, I was just checking, I'll be checking again in a month or so, they check me every few days but if you're not up higher it'll be all right with more time apart."

"Isn't it supposed to occur at the onset, a few hours after getting here?" Serena knew a little of this and she'd been here over three weeks.

"That's true and all but I took you up higher yesterday and I wanted to make sure you were fine."

"I thought Dr. Zolton put you up to it."

"He just called to ask if you'd had any symptoms when you first arrived and I said no, but it did make me think. I go up and down all the time, you're not as used to it. There's also a chronic one that might develop if we don't watch it. That's why I'm always checked and why you should be too."

Serena thought about that one and had to agree Andrew had a point. "Sure, I'll let you know if I'm suffering from any of those symptoms." Serena glanced over his outfit and noticed that he was dressed a lot warmer but lighter weight than if he were going for a stroll through town. "Where are you off to?"

"Where I love to be. At the top of the world." He gave a small turn to show himself off. "We're thinking about doing a bit of ice trekking and making sure there won't be any icy avalanches."

Serena tilted her head as she thought about what he'd just said and her eyes danced. "That sounds like a lot of fun. I'm a little jealous."

"Only a little?" Andrew teased, sprawling onto a chair in her room. "If you want, I could see if you'd be able to come with us. I know Lita's joining."

"Ah man." Serena groaned. "I wish I could, but I promised Raye I would start today, no more slacking!" Serena seemed reluctant though to find an outfit.

"Tell her you'll start tomorrow." Andrew's words were not helpful, because they played right in to her procrastinator tendencies and she really was tempted to play hooky on her first day. It was really up to her to get the ball moving and until she did, nothing would be late, but... she couldn't in all good conscious do that, if she set the precedence like that, she'd forever be pushing it aside for more adventurous activities.

"This weekend?" She asked hopefully, but was disappointed when Andrew shook his head no.

"Weekends are the busiest times." She knew that, but it hadn't been yet. "Arrange your schedule so you're working weekends and have off in the middle of the week. We can do something fun together then. I have a day off on Wednesday and a half day on Thursday once the season kicks into gear."

Serena mulled that over, it really wasn't a bad idea and she told him so. "Now come on, get out so I can change."

He reluctantly got pushed out but he popped his head back in a second later. "I'll bring you a coffee."

"Marvelous. From Lita's Kitchen?" Though there were days she did not work, it was always Lita's kitchen.

"You wound me." Andrew held a hand over his heart and she almost forgot that he had worked as a barrister during the day while in college. "I make far more expansive drinks than she even knows about. I also know some of your favorites."

"Just nothing cold, please?" She tried to turn up a sweet smile and got her nose tweaked for her efforts. She was laughing as she pulled out leggings and a jersey sweater that ended at her knees. It also had long enough sleeves that ended at her wrists so she could sit comfortably without a coat. The purple did interesting things to the color of her eyes and she played it up more by adding a shade similar to her upper lids, nothing too heavy though.

She was ready with just a twist of her hair and she was sliding her feet into her a pair of gray swede flat boots with a bit of an arch support but not much in terms of grip. She pulled open the door and Andrew was just setting the coffee into a mug for her. "Here you go, one of my specialties." She took it gratefully and tentatively took a sip, not wanting to burn her mouth.

"Oh my." She murmured. "Fantastic." There were little marshmallows floating at the top with tiny pieces of nuts.

"I'm glad." He grinned widely at her. "I've got to run now though, or I'll be late meeting up with the others."

"Wait, I'll walk out with you." She shrugged on her nicer coat and was glad he had thought to put it in a carrier mug so all she had to do was throw on a lid and they were able to go.

"I thought you might." He gestured towards the cup. "I'm not sure what the office will be like, so you might as well leave that one there if you can rinse it and we'll set up a portable coffee maker. Or hot water heater."

"That sounds wonderful. I'll let you know how I find it." She tapped him with her elbow playfully. "Thanks Andrew, you're amazing."

"I live to make you happy."

"Now if only that were so!" Serena pretended to sigh dramatically and when he didn't respond she straightened and glowered at him. "I was going to tell you that I've decided to do as you've suggested and angle the days I work differently. Not that I'll need to work five and a half days. Though this week I'll probably work straight through and have the weekend off to explain it to Raye and Amy."

Andrew nodded. "That sounds nice, plus you're your own boss. Though it might be nice if you had a couple of weekends off. You'll probably schedule that accordingly, hmm?"

"Ye- oh my god!" Serena stepped foot outdoors and looked at the snow falling in puffs around them. "I've never seen it come down like this. They're like popped popcorn!"

She started to twirl in it, throwing her mug into Andrew's chest and upturning her face to let it float around her, brushing ice cold fingers along her cheeks. Not rough but not soft either. She stopped and took her mug back from Andrew a bit guiltily, she hadn't meant to be so rude. He flicked a snowflake off from her eyebrow. "You're so funny."

"You can't say you've seen this either." She accused and if he had, he'd been holding out on her.

"I've been up to the Rockies before." He reminded her gently. "This is nothing, you're in for a treat. Snow stays around these parts."

"But how can it?" Serena asked, even as she looked, there was nothing on the ground, it was just coming from above. She thought maybe it was turning into liquid or slush but even that wasn't quite accurate for the ground looked darker because it was wet, but there were no puddles.

"You'll see." Andrew predicted and then waved at Nash and Lita who were waiting for him. "I've got to go, have fun today."

"I will, thanks Andy, oh, and... be careful, will you?" She was suddenly hugging him something fierce. "I don't want you to get hurt."

"Have no fear little lady, I am indestructible Andy!" His voice was deeper than normal, as if he were from the old superhero cartoons. He lifted her off her feet and threw her up in the air, but controlled it so she didn't go far. Then she was back in his arms and he lowered her carefully to her feet. "Fun, sensational, impenetrable Andy." He reminded her softly and leaned down to kiss her on the forehead. "Don't worry about me, just make sure you get there and back in one piece."

Serena rolled her eyes at him. She wasn't going up into the danger zone and the office was merely meters from the lodge. "That's not an issue."

Andrew was reluctant to leave her but did so and hopped on the back of Lita's ATV and then they were driving up the mountain that had the bobsledding and other sled-esque sports.

She carefully picked her way over to the office and went up the outdoor stairs and unlocked the door with the key Raye had pressed into her hands only yesterday. She got into the hallway and saw another flight leading down into the rental shop that was not yet open. It was a long hallway with two doors, opening the first she saw that it was a store-room for various supplies for cleaning. The only other door must be the one she was looking for.

She stopped in front of it, now nervous to step foot within the place that would _require_ her to do something impactful for this group of people that had put their trust and money into her hands. Her inexperienced, unknowing hands. But she'd take it on willingly, because she had come to like them, and desired to help. She wouldn't be content to let this settle while she sat and did nothing. She didn't want them to lose their income or house or jobs over something she did or did not do. She knew she was putting more pressure on herself than she should, but that's what she did. It helped her do it right and it was also a burden for her to carry that made sure she did it for the right reasons.

Firming her resolve she pushed open the door and her mouth dropped open.

The first thing she noticed was the sheer size of the place. From where she stood it stretched out the entire length of the building, even wrapping around the supply closet she'd erroneously thought was the right door earlier. It widened out from the back, where she stood to the front of the building and had windows from floor to ceiling, looking out onto the lodge and ski resort. She was further up than she thought too, higher than the lodge and it felt like a million miles up as people walking on the grounds looked like specs. Though that wasn't true either, she wasn't _that_ high up, she'd looked up from out there, and hadn't seen in, hadn't seemed like it was so far away.

The colors of the lodge were warm browns and reds to yellows. The colors that were splashed up onto the remaining walls were dark green with dark, dark brown woods. She stood next to it and took a sniff, yep, it was charcoaled and treated. Someone had purposefully burnt the exterior of the wood so it would be as dark as possible. To off set this, so it didn't seem like a cave looking out of its mouth onto a brilliant blue sky, was white furniture.

The desk was white legged and even the edges of the desk itself, but the top was that same dark wood and green details for the hardware. The chair was white with dark brown wheels, though plastic, echoed the same thought, and the padding on the seat was the dark green on the walls.

White couches and a coffee table took up the center of the room. Clearly Darien used to do his work in comfort and style rather than at the desk. Unless this is where he used to entertain his female companions and the desk is where he did the bulk of the work. But the largest couch faced the windows and a medium sized cubed fireplace sat in the middle of the coffee table. The exhaust pipes went down through the table and out of the building in a hidden compartment. It was gas and could be switched on with a flick of the switch.

Serena looked around the place, it looked well maintained for having sat empty, she thought the very least she'd have to do is dust it all down. Perhaps the girls had someone clean it once a week or cleaned it for her to move into. Either way, it was nice not to come into a mess.

Too tempted by the couches not to do so, Serena took off on a run and jumped over the back of one and landed on its seating with a small oomph. It was a little firm but thickly cushioned and comfortable. Her eyes closed for a moment to breathe it all in. A small filtered across her lips, she could get used to working in an office like this.

She rolled off the couch and brought out her laptop and set it on the desk. She'd thought the desk was too far back, but now she realized it was better that way, too close and your view was very minimal. She got to see most of the mountain this way but she was too absorbed in her work to really notice. Sucked into the internet as she was, trying to work out how the site was run, she lost all track of time and the outside world.

All too soon, with not much to show for it other than her own personal satisfaction that she figured it out finally, she stretched out the joints that felt way too stiff. Rolling herself backwards onto the palms pressing against her back, her head thrown down it, she looked up and realized that she missed a lot of the charm this place had. There were several skylights arching up to meet the large windows. How had she missed that? Perhaps because there was far too much to take in and do.

A frown crossed her features though as she realized it was not blue she was looking at, but rather something much darker. Had someone covered up the skylights? The heat had been on, so she hadn't worried about freezing and even though it was lower than she liked, the gas fireplace at the table offered up enough heat to compensate. Anyone could sit anywhere around that table and see the flames and feel the glow.

Darting a look out the windows she saw light, but not the kind she wanted to. The resort lights were already turned on and night had fallen. How was it possible that she worked the whole day through? Nobody else would believe that she worked so hard, she knew that she never had before.

She closed up the computer and thought for a moment about keeping it here, but she wanted to tool around on the site a bit more tonight. Make sure everything was set up to add as she needed to. Tomorrow would be a day of making calls and seeing what kinds of deals she could get if they agreed to do it in the first place.

Since it had been dark, when she finally found her feet on the cement again, she realized her environment around her had been changed. It was only a light dusting but it coated everything she could see. There was nobody out and about so it offered a very surreal experience. It was light she was in a fairytale of some sort. No, not that... something about an ice princess trapped and... no, she couldn't remember. Whatever it was, it reminded her of it. It was really very beautiful.

Serena just stood there, looking at all of it, taking it in. Tomorrow it would be gone. The peace of the moment was dispelled earlier than she'd like, but she still got what she needed to be cherished. Footsteps sounded behind her, light but sure and when her head swung round to see who it was, she found... "Dr. Zolton?"

"Yes, it is I, Serena." He was surprisingly formal with her right now. "What are you doing out here in the cold like this?"

"I'm just leaving my office now." She explained by way of pointing at the top floor.

"Ah, I see." He nodded towards the lodge. "I was just on my way there, are you?" When Serena gave a confused nod he smiled politely at her. "Good, then we shall go together."

"Why are you going to the lodge?" Serena questioned after she got her head around his odd behavior. She'd never seen him there before.

"I wanted to have some of Lita's excellent cooking." Again Serena wondered if a man was in love with Lita and not just for her cooking. But while talking with him, she realized he wasn't interested in the curvy brunette and just really enjoyed her food. Serena wondered again why he had been so rigid at first. It was so unlike his character. And then it made sense the second they walked in the door and he and Amy saw each other. They both turned and pretended to be busy with something else. Zolton to his food, Amy to telling an employee whatever she needed to tell him.

Serena stood in the lobby on her own a bit dumb-founded before it all became clear. She cursed herself for being so slow witted. She blamed it on the poor quality of sleep, when she got any, that she'd been having since arriving. She knew exactly why, but she wasn't going to admit it anytime soon, even to herself, what that was.

The truth that clamored for her attention now was that Zolton came to see Amy and Amy was too shy to interact with him. That in result made Zolton hesitate going up to her. They were stuck in this pattern of coming and avoiding each other, but sneaking looks. It was a sad, sad state to be in. Serena felt pity for them both and started to figure out a way to help them.

She saw an employee that made it her business to know the ins and outs of everyone, staff and guest, mostly so no one disappeared without knowing where or why. "Hey, Annie!" Serena called out to the girl who was unfortunately nothing much to look at, but friendly enough. "Have you seen Andrew? Is he back from ice trekking?"

"Has been for an hour or so. Looking for you actually." Annie glanced at her watch. "He's probably looking in your room or the kitchen by now."

Serena couldn't help the blush as she thanked Annie and walked away. They were her two favorite spots to be, eating and sleeping her favorite activities. She checked the kitchen first and didn't find Andrew so she headed to the rooms and sure enough, there he was. He glanced at the clock gauging for a time before heading over to her to put his hands on her shoulders. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine." She ducked out. "I had a run in with Zolton, he was coming here anyway so we walked together."

"Is this going to be the usual time, you think, that you'll return to the lodge?" It was well after dark now and Serena shrugged. "I just want to know in case I come back and find you missing. I'll still check there first, but I worry that you'll fall ill to one of the sufferings of the environment."

"I'll try to call you if I'm going to be this late." Serena felt bad now, she hadn't before, except for the slight flash of old fears that she'd have to walk back through the snow in the dark alone. "I think it won't last so long from now on, I just got absorbed in the website. I never knew a lot of things about this place before that. Like we sell shirt here." They were cute but they didn't have catchy enough slogans.

"Of course." Andrew turned away no longer concerned with with and went back to making tea. "Was the room warm?"

"Yes."

"Good, I doubled back and threw the power on outside, you probably wouldn't have thought to throw the switch or even know it was there. How much cleaning did you have to do?"

"Not much, it was pretty neat and tidy. Like someone had been by to clean it recently."

"Probably. Those three don't miss a trick." Andrew grinned ruefully. "If I didn't like them so much, I'd claim they were like parents."

"But since you like them, you wouldn't dare dream of relating them to Brenda and Joel Crowne."

"Definitely not." Andrew agreed with a conspiratorial tone and Serena leaned in to share it. "I can't even claim them to be like sisters." Andrew shuddered. "Just think, another Lizzy!"

Serena laughed, but she tried to appear indignant for her absent friend. "To me, they are like more Lizzies, Lizes, Elizabeths." She finally settled on the more proper name to make it seem right. "And I for one am happy about it."

"_You_ would." He agreed sulkily for a second, but then a smile crossed his features because he couldn't be negative for a moment.

Serena didn't argue with him and took the cup offered. "It was nice today." Serena commented. "I didn't do too much, but it was nice to see that it'll run faster from now on." A tone sounded from his throat to tell her that he was listening but she didn't have much more to say unless she let him in on her observations about Amy and Zolton, thought that was shady at best. "How did the trekking go?"

"It was amazing, Sere, you'll have to come next time for sure! It's such a great work out but you remain cool and yet it's not too cold, at least right now. We only had to break up one avalanche suspect in another back bowl. Otherwise we're good to go." Andrew's eyes sparkled in his excitement. "We got a light dusting, hopefully that's foreshadowing to a whole lot more."

–

Andrew however sweet, was wrong. The snow was gone by the next morning. He wasn't the most pleasant person to be around with that knowledge and so she bolted to the office. The next thing she knew, she was just as prickly.

The stupid computer wasn't picking up the internet anymore and no matter how many times she turned it on and off, it only caught the stream for a few minutes every hour. Once it had caught for almost ten and she had just finished the event she wanted to advertise when it went out again just as she was clicking save.

Serena was about to throw the computer out the window and it was only saved a sudden death because she managed to take deep breaths, calming down. She pushed away from the desk, knowing that if the internet connected again it wouldn't be for awhile and no use beating it or herself up until she knew for sure. That done, she looked about the large office. What should she do?

There was nothing to be done in work clothes such as she was in. From now on though, she'd wear more comfortable outfits and not anything that could wrinkle or was difficult to maneuver in. For now she sank onto the couch closest to the window and looked out.

She must have fallen asleep, for the next thing she knew the sun was setting just beyond the tips of the mountain. It was nice having an office that was windows on two sides, Westward and Southern. She just hadn't noticed that it wrapped around until now. The wall at her back emptied into the hallway and the windows continued down past another wall and then around the corner. If she were in the right place or had to be in the office in the morning then she'd get the most sun she could. It gave her an idea though.

She smiled broadly, noticing not for the first time the wood floors and large rug thrown over it beneath the furniture. The rest of the room was bare of anything and so she pushed the couches around the corner, to the side and dragged the table over.

Looking out at her focal point, the mountain was quite beautiful, especially highlighted by hues of pink and purple. She stood looking at it for a long moment before turning and grabbing up her purse. She looked at the computer, but there was no internet connection yet. She shut it, putting it to sleep and saving whatever work she could, hoping the rest of it would be there for her in the morning.

Then with a final look around and mourning the loss of brightness, at least temporarily, she closed and locked up the door. Then she skipped out of the building and back to the lodge. She was frustrated that she didn't get anything done, but she was excited for the next outage.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Over the next several days Serena got a lot of work done and she was pleased for what she had planned. Some things she wanted to get off and running needed to be discussed with members of the faculty that weren't there yet. Raye assured her that they'd be here later this week, snow or no snow. They had to come up with something different to draw the visitors in and keep them there or they wouldn't be paid. But Raye had said it with a laugh, as if it didn't really matter too much to her whether or not the events people came. When Serena had questioned it, Amy just smiled mysteriously and said that it was because they knew each too well and for too long to be worked up about a delay.

Serena couldn't help but smile about that kind of relationship, that was the ideal boss-employee situation, one where there was trust that the other would get it done on time and if it was late, it wasn't a big deal because they'd come through in the end when they were needed.

As for Serena, she kept busy, she was planning a special lovers weekend for Valentines day, while the actual events would be hosted by her erstwhile co-workers, the idea could be hers. Anyone who booked in two people per room would get a better deal than those who were single or in a big group. This way it made more sense to pair off and rent _more_ rooms. While it appeared to be a better deal on paper and price wise it was, it would get more of their rooms filled but still retain a small community feel. She'd see to it as well that they got a two for one deal on the lifts, either for one day or two if they came the whole weekend.

When the internet was down, and it was a lot, Serena exercised or did yoga in the empty space. She was currently stretching out her back as she had been sitting far too long. With the fronts of her legs facing away from the window, she stretched all the way down to the floor, her back touching her thighs and her elbows resting on the carpet. She was in a perfect arch, if she wanted to she could move her weight towards her hips and lift her feet off the ground and then to finish the move out up over her head and then back down onto her stomach on the carpet followed by her thighs. From there she could push up into a standing position. Or she could pull back up slowly and smoothly, even fast if need be, but she needed to push off from the ground in a controlled motion.

It was not an easy move to snap out of instantly without preparing her body for the quick change and when the door opened and someone let themselves in, Serena found herself jerking upwards in not only embarrassment but also in surprise. She heard a snap somewhere and it radiated too far out to pinpoint the exact location.

But her eyes instead were seeking out who had invaded into her space. Nobody had done so in the two weeks she had been up here. Serena wondered instantly if it were the employees finally back from wherever they'd gone. "That must take a lot of strong stomach muscles." She bit back the angry retort that popped to her lips. He should know, shouldn't he?

The sound of his voice was dread to her ears, but it also made her insanely happy and she had to stomp down on that emotion. It wasn't accurate and it couldn't be trusted. He hated her and she was very angry with him too. "Don't tell me- you're the events people?" He fit the description, known forever, wasn't worth it to fight about not getting here on time, but Serena thought he'd left.

"People, Sunshine, not person."

"So, someone could come out to join you." She wasn't going to be made a fool or cast into the idiot role again.

"Nope." Darien's eyes raked her form. "Aren't you supposed to be doing work, not lounging out up here?" He looked around the room. "Where are my couches?"

"I tossed them out, they were too much of a reminder of you." Serena lied but her eyes betrayed her as they flickered in the direction she'd stuffed them.

Darien moved about the room, keeping much distance between them. She could visibly see his shoulders relax when he found his stuff, unharmed. "That wasn't a very nice trick, but I suppose I should expect it out of you."

Serena squared her shoulders and gave him a bland, unhappy look. "What are you doing here, Darien?"

He returned her look in spades, clearly not relishing the idea of spending even a moment with her. "I'm here to do work."

"Why here?" Serena demanded.

"Because this was my office before they lent it out to you." Darien's words were smooth and obvious.

"Yes, but why are you here working? I thought you went back to DC."

"You thought wrong."

"So you've been hiding out at your ranch this entire time? You told everyone else that you were leaving a few weeks ago."

"I was and I did." Darien sat down on his chair at his desk and flicked an eye over Serena's progress, but he didn't say or give anything away about what he thought about her current efforts. "But I decided to come back."

Serena gritted her teeth, it was like being drilled by the dentist, talking to him. Except the dentist was kinder and tried to numb you down. "Whatever for?"

"My sister's pregnant."

"She was pregnant before you left too."

"Yes, but now she's really pregnant and she needs my help." Darien flicked through the drawers in the desk, noting what was changed and what remained the same. "And before you start in on me about how my sisters can stand on their collective four feet, I've heard you the first time, but this is different. Someone backed out on them and I'm here to stand in for them. I want to be here for my sister, they've finally, belatedly, convinced me to stay put. Besides, I've got work to do at the ranch still, stuff that I should have gotten done a long time ago."

"Good, then go work there, I'm sure you have an office there and everything."

"No can do, sunshine." He grinned at her. "This is my office space and this is where I'll be working."

"You don't have an office at the ranch?" Serena wanted to make sure she understood right.

"I do." He was acting like they were friends, or at least that's what his tone implied. "But it's my hand's office and I don't like to interfere. Situations have required me to work out of the study at the ranch, but I don't enjoy it. I like the view I have here. That's why I built it."

"And where am I supposed to work if you're taking over this space?" She gritted out.

"Here." He pointed to a corner of the desk that she didn't have anything on. And she had the distinct feeling that he was doing this just to annoy her. That he had come back just to taunt and watch her. This bs about helping his sister out was just that. Raye wasn't _really_ pregnant, that hadn't changed and the size of her pregnancy didn't change that fact. She still had several months to go. Obviously some of the frustration and anger was making its way to her face because he laughed. "Soon she'll have to stick with her newborn and I want to be around to make sure that things continue running smoothly in her absence."

"She has hired people on, very capable, smart people, to do so." Was Serena's terse reply.

"I also want to see my nephew or niece. I've missed my family and I always did intend to return here for a longer period of time. This way I get to work on my ski skills too."

"You'll probably be running snow patrol with them." Serena could only hope, but Darien was already shaking his head no.

"Not if I can help it. I've got real business to attend to, I can only delegate so much to my employees, nope, I'll need to be right here, working away." He noticed and disregarded her stare. "I wanted to see how much this place was in need of repairs, not many that I can see. I'll have to move the couches back because someone has decided to rearrange the place. What, you like simplicity and the bare look?"

"It was in my way." Serena did not explain to him exactly how much it was in her way. She was holding herself up straight so tightly that when she moved slightly she began to get nauseous and dizzy. "Oh." She groped for some place to sit but they were all around the corner.

Darien got to his feet and with his hands on her shoulders, he steered her to the chair he just vacated and pushed her down onto it. "What's the matter?"

"I think I pulled something when you startled me." Serena admitted and knew if he had a heart it would cause him some guilt but that was unavoidable and she was kind of vindictive in thinking that the pain would be worth it if he did.

He made a sound and then he was walking away, snapping open his mobile. "Ton, I have a patient you'll need to see." He gave the address in quick form and then came back over to Serena. "Would it be better if you put your head between your knees?"

Serena shook her head and then regretted it, not only did it make her vision swim more, but it also pulled uncomfortably at the muscle in her abdomen. She kept them pretty strong, loose and limber, but if she came up from that position it was in a lot smarter and more natural ways. She went against instinct and training by obeying the fright response. Not something she usually gave in to, but he was unexpected and wasn't standing there with her spotting. She couldn't trust him like a partner, even a bad one.

Darien's cell chirped out a beep and he went to go let Zolton in. "Right this way."

Zolton crouched in front of Serena, looking into her eyes. "What happened? Head injury?" So her eyes were swimming that noticeably, were they? She gave a small shake of her head and groaned. "What's your name?"

"Serena." Was the answer.

"What's your full name?"

"What does it matter? It's not my head that's the problem. I strained something in my upper abdomen." She tried to rise to turn enough to allow him access but he held her still.

"It's best not to move quickly if its a spinal injury. Or too much. Stay put and I will check."

"But its my front that hurts." Serena protested.

"Sometimes it just feels that way and its only masking the problems going in the back." Zolton stood up and went behind her, running his fingers over the spinal column along her back. He let out a deep breath of relief. "Nope, not that dire." His fingers fanned out and searched for the muscle she'd pulled. He nodded to himself. "It's a torn muscle. You'll have to rest for awhile and then ease back into things. No quick movements like today." He frowned at her. "What were you doing?"

"But!" Serena couldn't imagine not moving, she had to keep flexible and in shape.

"I'm serious Serena." Zolton proclaimed. "I don't even want you sitting for too long. Rest on your side and sit when you need to. Walk around too, but nothing too strenuous or requires a lot of muscles to keep you doing it."

"That means no heavy lifting." Serena shot at Darien who was watching with an impassive face.

He cocked an eyebrow. "So it was premeditated, was it?" Since she had no idea he was coming in or was even still in town, or rather back to it, she could hardly have done so, could she? "No matter, Zolt, fancy giving me a hand with the sofas and coffee table?"

"Can't." Zolton was still looking at Serena. "It might have been easier if you'd hurt a back muscle, at least I could have given you a splint of some sort. This is something you'll have to watch on your own. Come see me before you decide to do anything rash or difficult." He reached into his pack and pulled out a cold compress that worked once you broke it in half. "Apply this for the next forty-eight hours off and on."

"Already you know me too well." Serena took the ice compress and held it against the side that was singing its proclamations. Sweet relief, if only temporarily.

Zolton smiled. "I know your type." He tapped her on the nose and then turned to Darien. "She got it all over there on her own, I'm sure you can get it back."

"And if I throw my back out doing it?" Darien grumbled.

"Then you'd have been doing it wrong." Zolton's smile widened. "You're supposed to lift with your legs."

"If you lift at all." Serena chimed in.

"You _dragged _everything over there?" Darien's voice was harsh again. "You could have scratched up my wood floor!"

"They all have pads underneath the feet." Serena defended her actions. "Zolton, you better help him or I'll never hear the end of this."

"Probably best, you'll have some place to rest." Zolton stood. He dug into his bag again and wrote out a prescription. "These are the best pain relievers."

"Only the good stuff for your favorite patient?" Serena batted her eyelashes at him.

"Exactly. Though I'm sorry that I only have second rate ones on me currently, but take these before you get your pills. But don't buy into the idea that just because it no longer hurts means that you're cured. In a few days you can begin light stretching, as in lifting your arms up passed your shoulders. Nothing higher before then." He dropped a few pills into Serena's hand and she curled her fingers over them. She hated taking pills, but she wouldn't tell him that.

Darien got her a glass of water. "Need someone to put them in your mouth and hold the glass? That's higher than your shoulder."

"I should clarify. No elbows higher than shoulder height." Zolton gave Darien a very peculiar look as if not used to seeing Darien quite so... touchy.

"So then I can manage on my own." Serena took the glass from him and didn't eye it dubiously like she wanted to, he might have poisoned it. Instead she took the pills and knocked them back with the water following to take them down through the tunnel leading to her stomach. The pills were like rafts floating down stream and then falling off the cliff to end up at the base of the waterfall, safe for a moment. Not realizing they'd entered a volcano and would be slowly eroded away.

Darien and Zolton made quick work of the furniture and then Zolton gave a faulty salute before he left the office. Serena laughed and then realized it hurt to do, so then stopped. Darien came around to her side of the desk and he leaned against the edge. "Hand it over."

"Hand what over?"

"Do we have to do this every time?"

"We wouldn't if you'd just say what you mean to say the first time." Serena leaned back and pressed the ice pack closer to her side. The effect was starting to wear off.

"You should know what I mean." His fingers brushed over her clenched fist. "You had no problem before."

"That's when we were speaking the same language. Something happened since then to destroy that ability." She knew what it was, but she didn't say it out loud. He didn't either.

"Give me the prescription so I can get it filled for you. It won't take _me_ long, but for you you'd have to go up to the pharmacy and deal with a lot of attitude and irrelevant paperwork."

Serenity uncurled her hand and let him have it. He snatched it up instantly. "Now don't move."

"That's not a problem." Serena settled into the chair and reached for her laptop, but he moved it away.

"No working either. You are going to be sitting in an unnatural position and it will strain your muscles."

"Thanks doc." Serena put her hands back down at her sides and glowered up at him until he left. He took her cue and slipped quickly back out the way he came, the little rat. She eyed the room, it was now completely back to the way it had been before and yet it would never again reach the serenity it had once held. Now that it had been invaded, even momentarily, by Darien's presence. He was now there in every inch of the room she looked at.

Mutinously she stared at her offending laptop, she couldn't even work on that for a few days, not until her muscles mended. She gave herself a moments self-evaluation and knew it wasn't the worst she'd ever had, but it would set her back several days as Zolton had announced.

She was in the same position, as promised, when Darien returned. He didn't even comment on it, just coming around to put in her hand the bottle he had gotten. "Why is your name Serena Moon?"

"Because on my father's paternal side there had been a native American ancestor way back when and the name continued down the path to be given to me, though we all look more Scandinavian than Native American." She answered tactfully and straight forward, not even looking up at him once during her words.

"Yes, but your husband's name is Andrew _Crowne_." Darien had obviously gotten her name off the bottle that Zolton had prescribed, he hadn't even lifted a brow at the name difference.

"My given name and the name I am still known by in professional circles is Serena Moon." She answered honestly. "I have not changed it."

"You didn't take his last name? Even when you joined his family?"

Serena breathed a sigh of relief at the question and she shook her head. "Nope. I kept it because by then it was already too late to bother with changing it and I wanted to keep a homage to my ancestors."

"You are one strange girl." He responded, sitting against at the edge of the desk, looking down at her and was way too close. His hand came out and softly brushed aside the small wisps of hair that had come loose from her ponytail. "I have no baring in which I can use to begin to understand you."

"Perhaps it is best that way." Serena muttered, refusing to look up at him, no matter how light his touch. He had other ideas about that and a finger extended and went under her jaw to tip it up towards him. "What do you want, Darien?"

"To understand." His tone was soft and there was no malice in his eyes at the moment, no anger and she felt herself melting in that gaze. His head lowered and there was the fleetest brushing of flesh before he was standing up and moving away from her. "It's probably better if you took the rest of the day off, though I haven't seen you get much work done if you're busier getting yourself into unnatural positions than doing what you've been hired to do."

"I was waiting on the internet to connect again. It had been down so I was biding my time until I could put more things into motion."

"Like the Valentines deal you have announced." He laughed bitterly. "Lovers retreat, two hearts and souls spending time together. I love how devoid you are in guilt over your own betrayal to that ideal." He waved at the mountain behind the glass. "And how is your own going? Are you getting the time together that you deem so romantic?"

She dryly noted that he'd looked on the website and saw her advertisement. She didn't put him in his place though about checking up on her. "As a matter of fact, Andrew and I are getting closer every day. And it is a romantic setting, its quite beautiful."

The frown he cast her was something she learned to expect and she mourned the loss of the smiling, warm man he had been that first night. Though she probably lost the ability to expect that when she had betrayed his trust so completely. She struggled to her feet, wincing as it pulled slightly at her side. "But perhaps you're right." She continued. "Maybe I should take the rest of the day off. Goodbye, Darien."

She turned towards the door, forgetting her jacket in the process and wanted to slam the door shut behind her. He could work the rest of the day if he wanted to and she wouldn't care if he died up here. It only mattered in getting rid of his body. "Wait!" He called out when she gripped the handle of the door and she halted. The next thing she knew, her jacket was being wrapped around her shoulders and the sleeves tied in front of her. It was done with deft and sure fingers, and she felt a warmth inside of her that had nothing to do with the jacket.

She gnawed on her lower lip for a moment before she looked back at him. "Thank you." But he was already walking away and the words dried up in her throat. She closed the door behind her with a decisive click.

When she got back to the hotel, Amy took one look at her pinched face and ice pack held to her side that she came to her instantly. "What happened?"

"I was foolish and pulled a muscle in my stomach." Serena explained. "I didn't mean to but I was startled." She didn't go in to how it had _actually_ happened.

Raye came over too and the two sisters fawned over her and she felt loved by them but also guilty in causing so much distraction. "You'll have to take the next few days off. We'll send Andrew to look after you."

"Please don't, it'll only suffocate both of us, having to be cooped up in a small room and unable to do much." She knew she would be and was planning on going for a short walk every day just to use her other muscles. She'd fight through the pain if she had to. "Besides, he's got important jobs to do around here, doesn't he?"

"Well..." Amy looked to Raye for support and Raye nodded, putting a hand on her back as she felt a little pain herself for standing too long.

"Andrew's not indispensable, he's been a godsend for Nashashuk, he praises your husband, he's never had such great help before and the other man we've hired on has backed out on us last minute." Raye rubbed at her back. "But perhaps the two of us will have to sit and bask in the attention others deem we receive."

"Hmm..." Serena agreed. "Hot chocolate near the fire place in the main room."

"Delicious food served to our sides instead of going into the restaurant." Raye agreed, her eyes glittering at the thought. "I was against it, when it was just myself, but if I were to have company..."

"Hey now!" Amy protested. "I want in on this too!"

Lita's laughter was heard behind them. "I see my services are being volunteered without any regard to my own desires. What if I want to be pampered too?"

"You two have to be indisposed to get them."

"Well your reason is obvious, but what happened to Serena?" Lita questioned, dropping an arm around the blond's shoulders.

Again Serena gave the abbreviated version of what happened and then casually mentioned that Darien was back, pleased the topic was off of her for a change.

"Is he now?" Raye's eyes glittered like she was about to go eat someone.

Amy shrugged. "I for one am glad he's back. You should be too, Raye."

Raye sighed heavily. "I'm glad our brother is back, but not his _brotherliness_." Raye cautioned. "He's great when he's out of our hair, but not when he's watching over us like a concerned hawk."

"He says he's going to be taking up my work space and doing stuff for whatever it is he does." Serena supplied, not wanting Raye to get too worked up over somewhat good news. Though it was unacceptable that he'd be fostering his neurotic suspicion onto her and in her private space.

"Oh." Raye stopped short. "Well then that's ok. He's not going to bother you and we can get another desk up there if it'd please you. Not that he'll be there for long, he gets too restless to stay put."

That was it, no more discussion on removing him from the premises. She'd be forced to share space with the man who detested her and nobody was concerned at all. Only Andrew, when she told him later that night. However with him she was forced to waylay his concerns and reminded him that she wouldn't be seeing him for several days yet.

–

Imagine her surprise when Darien appeared with Raye the next day. Really though at this point, she really shouldn't be surprised, but he came carrying the tray of goodies she and Raye were going to share. Though on second thought, she might not be able to eat all of that, not only because she was now inactive but it might also stretch those muscles.

When Raye ran for the bathroom, Darien sat next to Serena on the couch. She was feeling a little uncomfortable by the ease and closeness he had established. "I have to go back to work soon." He said by way of breaking into a conversation.

"I'm not really sure why you're even here." She had to strive for a defense now if he was going on the offense and it was easier to deal with him when they weren't so chummy. When he was this way he had an awful habit of leading her into a sense of security and then pulling the rug out from under her feet. Best keep him at an arms distance.

"I'm here because Raye- no, that's not true. I'm here because I feel bad for startling you yesterday. It was unfortunate and despite what you may think, I don't want physical harm to come to you." He gently touched the spot where she had an ice pack once again. "So I'm sorry about that."

"It's not so bad." She mumbled. "It's just a tear and those heal." She was not used to his concern and she twitched in her seat. "Thank you for your apology, and it wouldn't have happened if I had known you were coming and wasn't in such a position to begin with."

He gave a nod as he rose to his feet. "I'm glad that's settled then. I'll see you around." He gave her a fleeting smile and then he was gone.

Raye came back and looked around for her brother. "Where's he gone to now?"

"Work." Serena answered and patted the seat next to her. "Come on, I haven't seen a movie in ages. What do you want to see?"

"Ooh!" Raye squealed. "Nobody ever lets me pick!"

Hours later and Serena understood why. She might have been better off alone in her room, or even with Andrew hovering over her. At any rate staring at a wall would have been more interesting than that four hour documentary on rocks. On the plus side- no, there was definitely not a plus side to that one. The only thing of note was the part on volcanic rocks and that was because Serena got to see fire and lava at that point while it explained how they were formed.

Serena would have gouged out her eyes long ago if she'd thought that would have done anything to help, but she'd have needed to stab her ears too and that was going a bit too far in her book. When Raye turned to her to ask how she liked it, Serena plastered on the hardest smile she'd ever had to and told Raye that it was different and not something she usually watched but she learned a lot. Which she highly doubted, she didn't even like it in school when she got to play with said rocks. She probably forgot more from that class than she'd have learned from this video. "How about I pick this time?" She asked in lieu of answering more of Raye's questions. She would have thought documentaries would have been more up Amy's alley than her sister's but one never knew what went on in the minds of others.

She really didn't want to know either, she thought with a shudder if this is what Raye had been hiding all along.

–

Serena tried to push the door open to leave the office later in the week, when it swung open on its own accord. She could see the hand jutting out over her shoulder, doing the work for her. She had gotten in just fine on her own, followed by Darien a few hours later. He'd made a quip about her being an early arrival. She'd ignored him. She had two days off in the middle of the week, and it was the same two days that she always had off.

Now when she'd decided it was time to go, he was making sure she didn't do any heavy lifting, or in this case, pushing. Like she was his sister and pregnant and wasn't allowed to do anything. "I'm fine." She responded, clearly not amused.

He grinned down at her. "Let's just call it a truce, hmm? We're working together now and it's my fault you're injured."

"A temporary one until I'm healed?" She asked unsure if she could trust his new attitude, but he'd been carrying it off for the last few days.

"And then some." His words were about the truce, but his eyes raked her form with desire dilating his pupils. "It's not cohesive to getting our shared end, is it?" Just to make things clear, he clarified. "To be at such odds."

"No, I suppose not." But her injury was already fast healing and this time next week she'd start doing some light stretches to get back in the swing of things. It helped to be so healthy and active, it made recovery time so much shorter.

"The injury doesn't seem to be doing you any harm."

"It wouldn't appear that way, but I've had to watch my diet a bit more closely than I would have liked." And walk further than normal for longer periods of time. Which she would do now, after she got away from him.

He walked her down to the second door and opened it open for her as well. "Take care on the steps, they can be tricky."

And so she did take care, and he went back into that warm cocoon of an office. Instead of taking off for the lodge she turned in the opposite direction and started walking. She had to pass underneath the windows but she didn't think he'd be looking.

Half an hour later, she found herself out of the town and back the way to the main freeway, not that she'd ever get to it by foot. She shivered and burrowed into her wool jacket a bit more. Perhaps she should switch to the one that Andrew bought for her? She just turned around when she heard a truck clunk to a halt next to her. The window opened and she could see Darien's face peering at her from within the truck. "Need a lift?" He asked with a mocking lift to his lips. "Perhaps back to Helena?" At least there she could catch a ride to Billings or even a flight.

"I'm not running away." She retorted. "Just walked a bit too far without thinking."

"Careful when you do that, there are animals that roam freely that wouldn't hesitate to eat you."

Serena swallowed back the imagery and what kind of animals those were. She offered him instead a cheeky smile. "Then I'm right at home, aren't I? Except exchange bears for alligators and cougars for any number of predators and its practically the same thing."

She'd surprised a laugh out of him and she felt her joints warm up at the sound. It had been too long since she'd heard him happy or even amused by her. Perhaps his offer of truce didn't have to be met with hostility and suspicion. He'd warmed considerably towards her and she feared she'd have wrecked it again and given him a very real reason to have her fired. Prickly personalities didn't mesh and she'd be out on her ear.

"Come on, I'll give you a lift home. At least in Florida alligators are confined to the general area where water is and your joints aren't stiff with the cold so you have a chance at running."

Serena reached for the door, but he already pushed it open and then jumped out of the truck to come round to her side to close the door for her again. "You know, even the smallest creature can be intimidating to those who are at the top of the food chain." She hadn't meant for her words to be a warning, but she meant them once they were said. "Just recently there was news about a female cat schooling alligators."

"I heard about that." He agreed, now that she brought it up. "She's as sweet and cuddly to humans as could be but with alligators she rules the roost, so to speak. They hiss at her and she hisses right back and swats at them. They even try to get her when she's sleeping but she's too powerful for them. She wins every battle and its' not just with the same gators." He gave her a slow look. "Kind of like someone else I know. Small but with claws. And very, very, very dangerous."

Serena gave him a long one in return. Then she batted her eyes and looked away. "Sounds dangerous. Perhaps you should stay away from this person."

"Perhaps I should, but I can't, she's too adorable to stay away from for long."

Serena ignored the pain in her heart at his words. It didn't matter if it was her he was talking about or another woman, either way it was impossible. So she tried to block it from spreading but it was sharp and didn't seem to be lessening at all. Just kept throbbing away as she put road blocks around it. "Sounds like the most dangerous kind of woman. Better to just forget it and move on."

"Tried and yet I'm back for more beatings." He chuckled. "Just like an alligator. Can't let the small creature rest for long. Have to see if I can't catch her unawares and win the fight."

Her lips pressed together, if he was talking about her, she hated it. He just wanted to win, nothing else, just eat her alive and then spit her out and cause pain to her. Well she wouldn't be caught. He'd have to wake up pretty early in the morning to pull one over on her. She bit back the cry that was bubbling up in her chest and nodded. "She might let you one of these days. If it suits her."

"And if it doesn't, it will be a cold day in hell before I do, hmm?" Darien pondered that point for the rest of the short journey. When she beat him to letting her out of the car he called out to her. "Make sure there's a lot of logs on the fire, it's a cold one tonight."

And he wasn't wrong. Andrew was already in bed sleeping and she was kept awake with thoughts of the dark haired man when the power suddenly went out. With the power and how late it was, there wasn't going to be any generator to kick in or anyone to jimmy with it to turn it back on. Without the power, her room as it was without a fireplace, was going to be an ice-crystal in any moment and Serena didn't relish that thought. So she scooped up blankets from her bed and camped out on the sofa.

A few hours later, she heard a log roll over and felt two arms scoop her up. "What are you doing?" She asked Andrew as he carried her towards the main room. "I was fine-"

"You'll set back your recovery." He chided. "You can trust me, can't you?"

"I'll always trust you." She snuggled into his chest and he sighed heavily. "Isn't that a good thing?"

"It's wonderful." His bed was warm as he laid her in it and then joined her, pulling her against his chest. "Sleep now, Serena. I'll talk to you in the morning."

"Ok." And it was quite easy how she fell back asleep curled up against the blond man.

–

In the morning she woke to find herself in a strange bed and that it was empty. She searched the room before slipping out of the bed. She headed back to her room to change but found it freezing so she quickly ran back into Andrew's to change.

He came in with a knock and desire to know if she were decent. "Aren't I always?"

"Is it opposite day today, then?" Andrew teased but he was carrying a tray loaded with food. "Come on, back in bed, so I can feed you."

"I'm fine, really, no harm done. I was already in the living room when mine got ice cold. No chance to getting that fixed, is there?"

"Since nobody's supposed to know your in it, probably not for awhile. You can share my bed though."

"It's your bed, I'll sleep on the couch."

"If anyone's sleeping on the couch its me. You've been injured."

"But you need all the sleep and comfort you can get if you'll be out and about all day on the mountains." Serena denied. "It makes more sense for you to have the bed.

"We can just share it, can't we?" He finally asked on a note of frustration. "I'll even build a blockade between us if that's what you need."

"Don't be silly. I know you won't try anything. And its only temporary until the heat in my room gets fixed. We shared the bed last night and it wasn't the first time. We'll be fine."

He frowned. "That's another thing, if the power goes out like this in the future, your room isn't sufficiently heated. We should think about moving you into my room permanently."

"Again, you need all the help you can get." Serena denied. "I'm content with the arrangement. And if and when my injury's healed and the power goes out, I have no problem sleeping on the sofa. Now no arguments. Besides, I can just crawl into your bed when you go for the day and sleep."

He laughed at her words. "All right, things can stay as they are. Feel free to sleep here whenever you need to. I'll always be here for you." He only reiterated words she'd heard from him before and she was pleased since he knew the same could be said about her. "And the bed will always be warm."

The power was still out, the only way that they could see was by light of the sun which peeked through their windows. "Has there been any word about when the power will be back on?"

"Raye popped in, wanted to see how you were doing, she beat me to the door and seeing that you were still asleep backed back out again. I swear that girl never sleeps."

"She has to at some time." Serena disagreed. "She'll make herself sick otherwise."

Andrew was amused and a little amazed as he shook his head. "She said that Darien was looking into it. Said it should be back on this afternoon but we don't need to really worry as we've got all the important rooms heated." Andrew grinned then. "And then gave me the day off to make sure you were plenty warm and comfortable."

"You should have opened with that." Serena teased. "I could still be in bed sleeping, had I known."

Andrew chased her out of the room and into the hallway. He didn't catch her until they were almost to the lobby and then she put a stop to it herself. She let herself be turned and brought into his arms, they were laughing a little breathless from the run and invigorated by it too.

The floor creaked and let them know that they weren't alone, but Darien was grimacing. "Sorry, don't let me spoil the fun."

Andrew let her go and wrapped an arm around her shoulders instead then. "We were just going to get something to eat, would you care to join us?"

Darien hesitated, clearly not wanting to be a third wheel. "Come on." Serena insisted, stabbing herself in the process of not wanting him to feel left out or for him to be away that long. She was only hurting herself with the desire to see more of him. "It's just a bite to eat."

Darien gave her a searching look for a long time and she tried to be as open as possible and then his gaze shifted to Andrew, who clearly had no ill-will towards the darker man, despite his earlier argument with the bosses' brother. Andrew was read like an open book and Darien gave a short nod. "All right, I'll join you, give me a moment."

Serena and Andrew nodded and waited patiently while he disappeared behind reception and into one of the back rooms. He appeared again not long after and they had a table set for three. Serena's meal, unfortunately was a light fair, and she looked mournfully at Andrew's heaping pile of carbs and meat and fruit.

Lita had been given Zolton's instructions on her meals and Andrew laughed at her puny selection of oatmeal and a banana. He had pity on her and added a few sausages onto her plate for now. Serena squealed and shoved them into her mouth quickly before anyone could take them away. Then she ate her banana and shoveled the oatmeal into her mouth.

Darien stared at her in amazement. "Slow down, you don't want to bust your gut on top of everything else."

"Gods, I can usually eat both your plates." Serena griped. "But not now, because I've been put on a starvation diet."

"Let that settle and I'll give you more." Andrew promised.

"If you do, I'll take away your plate as well." Lita startled him as she appeared from nowhere and it was smart of Serena to gobble hers down because Lita looked about ready to snatch back whatever food might have remained.

She looked disapprovingly at the pair of them. Andrew smiled back sheepishly. "Sorry, where Serena's concerned, I can deny her nothing."

"Then I'll show you what denial's like." Lita reached for his plate but he clamped down on it and refused to let it budge from the tabletop.

Darien turned to Serena as an aside. "This happens a lot? It's like they've staged it."

"No, this is the first I've seen it, but it would make a good play, wouldn't it? The woman who starves her customers."

"I don't do anything of the sort." Serena got a spoon onto her skull, thankfully it was a clean one and not something Lita used a lot. "Don't start creating rumors where I'm concerned."

"It'll give you an air of exclusivity." Darien teased and Lita turned that spoon on him.

"Don't you start with me, you don't get any special treatment either." She gave Andrew one last chilling warning with her eyes and walked away.

"Like a mother." Serena huffed and folded her arms onto the table. Darien turned his tatertots towards her and moved the plate in her direction. Serena sneaked a glance around the room before she looked back at him. "For me?" She mouthed and at his curt nod, she grabbed a handful.

"Seems I can deny her nothing as well." Darien told Andrew who grinned in response.

"Perhaps you just like to stir up trouble and can't help but go against expressed wishes."

"Perhaps." Darien held Andrew's gaze for a long time before settling back on Serena who was hording her golden nuggets and hunched over them as she was, sneaking one into her mouth while continuously looking around for someone who wanted to steal them. "As for you, you need to relax or you'll hurt yourself."

"But they're so good!" She moaned and shoved one more into her already full mouth.

The men just rolled their eyes and continued eating.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

That day in the restaurant seemed to have given Andrew a change in perspective about Darien, not that much would have been needed to do so. Andrew forgave anyone after awhile. Well anyone that didn't badly harm him. It was one of the things that Serena loved about the blond man. Afterward when they'd gone back to the rooms, Andrew commented that he had misjudged Darien, and it seemed Darien learned his lesson after all about her.

Serena didn't say much, keeping an eye open for any inconsistencies with that assessment and for awhile, seemed like Darien had accepted Andrew and her relationship as well as decided to set aside his anger. They sat on opposite sides of the room during the working day and he barely spoke to her instead of a faint hello, how do you do, in the morning and a goodnight at night. He didn't walk her back to the lodge and she didn't walk stupidly out of the town limits again. That was an experience she might not have minded repeated at any other juncture but this one.

Today she arrived earlier than Darien and as she stood watching out the window, she saw him with Andrew walking towards the slopes. If it was possible to believe her eyes, they'd tell her that the two men were laughing together. She had not seen Darien laugh in quite some time.

Had it really been a month since she arrived? And the only snow had been a light dusting? She knew they were far from on track and already the guests were getting antsy for something else to do. Serena couldn't imagine living up here full time if the weather went from warm to cold and nothing to do. Darien clasped Andrew on the shoulder and they went their separate ways. Andrew turned once, and looked up to the window, he blew her a kiss. She caught it and held it against her heart, smiling sweetly back at him.

Darien chose that moment to look up as well and saw their tender display of affection, for no one's eyes but their own. She watched as Andrew left and over Darien's face cross a dark emotion. She scurried back from the window, as if he could burn her from way down there. She switched on her computer and got started.

Following Darien's presence was a loud bang as the door slammed behind him. Serena turned to give him a hello but his look of fury made her turn right back to her computer. No hellos, no how do you dos. There was nothing from him but black anger. "What is it now?" She asked when she finished yet another idea and put it into motion. The numbers were rising, but slowly, on hits to the page and even slower in reservations, but at least there would be some.

"Nothing." He snapped.

"Fine." She responded tightly. "Shall I get out of your hair?"

"Please!" Darien's volume was slowly raising.

"With pleasure." She got as far as the door when he pulled her back. "I was leaving."

"Like hell you are."

"You wanted me to!" All of a sudden, Serena gasped for air, pulling her mouth away from his. "But you hate me!" She rasped out. "You hate everything about me!"

"God help me, I _do_." He agreed and hauled her up against him to kiss her again. Against her lips he muttered more. "But I still _want_ you."

She struggled against his punishing hold, he was taking all her air, and she felt like she was suffocating. Just as she was about to knee him where it didn't get much sunshine, the kiss changed and it was no longer harsh and painful, but coaxing and seductive. She felt herself melting and she no longer fought.

He pulled back enough to move down the side of her face and nuzzled against her neck, placing hot kisses along it and up to her jawbone. Then his mouth moved up to her ear and the hot breath whispered across the edges. "You can't deny it. You can't deny what is between us." She didn't say anything in response.

And when his mouth settled over hers again, it was exquisite and it drew her to him, drew her to respond. She was now kissing him back. He drew his hands down her back and pressed against the swoop in her back, pressing her up against him, feeling the warmth that being only in his arms brought. Her hands were clenched on his chest, trapped between their two bodies, but she straightened out her hands, laying them flat against him. They slid lower and found their way to his hips. Her fingers wrapped around his belt loops and couldn't help arching against him.

Then he was ripping himself away from her. "God, you're a vixen. Stay the hell away from me. Stay out of my sight."

"That's near impossible when we share this space." Serena wasn't sure which foot was left at the moment so stayed right where she was. "And I was about to do just that when you pulled me back again."

She received a tight smile. "You're too smart for your own good sometimes. Just- get out of my sight now, before I do something we'll both regret."

When he put a restraining hand on her arm again, she turned back to him in exasperation and a bit more weary of a repeat. He was the one that kissed _her_. "What now?" She demanded. "I can't disappear in a poof you know, I am going to have to go out that door."

"I know." He bit out. "I was just concerned, I wasn't too gentle with you. Has it hurt you further?"

Serena gave herself a quick mental check and shook her head no. She guessed their truce of friendship was now over, not that it had even ever really started. His behavior didn't count towards that. "May I leave now?"

"Go ahead." He opened the door for her this time and she tried not to wince when it clicked with an ominous softness behind her.

–

Serena walked down the steps and had just turned back towards the lodge when someone opened the ground floor door to the rental shop. A strong hand wrapped around her arm and pulled her inside with them. Serena spun, ready for a fight, but she stopped when she saw a girl her height and technically the same coloring if they were to be described to the police.

Rotating her arm she looked at the girl with a mixture of annoyance and curiosity. "What do you want and who are you?"

"Sorry, but I had to get the gossip from the source. Are you really spending time with the _man_?" She asked with a delighted thrill to her words.

"If by the man you mean Darien, then yes." She'd never be able to look at him or call him Mr. Shields. From the moment they'd met it had been too intimate to go back on that now. "As for time, not intentionally."

The blond across from her sighed dramatically. "What a shame! He is a major hunk." The girl went over to the desk and pushed herself up onto it. "Never looked my way though."

That wasn't something Serena could understand and she frowned in thought. The coloring was mostly similar but it had been like Darien had never seen the cliché blond blue eyes before. So this girl had more of an orange tint than the golden strands Serena possessed, and her eyes were like bruised blueberries rather than the sparkling surf, but still, it was similar in the most generic sense, as far as most guys saw at any rate. Mina even had the better body shape as if she was made to endorse all types of clothing. At the moment she had on stretchy ski pants and a matching fitted jacket. A scarf, hat and gloves sat idly by on the counter next to her. This girl was a thin that Serena would never be but she had strong arms and thin shapely legs. Her torso was the image that most girls dreamed to be because guys had the unnatural image that every girl _should_ be that way.

It was then as the girl kicked her feet, waiting for more, that Serena noticed that she was wearing gray legwarmers and knitted boots in bright red. She might need help in her fashion sense even if she could wear anything.

Instead of feeding the girl more information, Serena was at a loss of what to account this meeting as. She floundered for a moment before shaking her head and saying directly, needing an answer. "Who _are_ you?"

Half her face broke out into a smile, as if she were amused by this conversation. Serena could see both rows of teeth where the corner of her mouth usually was. "Mina." That was it, no further explanation or second name.

Serena rolled her eyes, this was ridiculous, everybody here was absolutely, completely bonkers and she'd just about had enough. "Fine then, don't tell me." Serena spun on her heel, Darien had just pushed her to the edge with his hungry kisses and then cold resolve, pushing her out the door, his biting anger that caught her on the raw every time she had to unfairly face it. He was party to it too, and while he hadn't known the first time, he was the one causing issues since. Now this strange girl was pulling her into a building, being mysterious and vague about who she was and what she wanted. Serena was done, she'd leave today, while the roads were clear and there wasn't a cloud in sight.

This time when the hand reached out, Serena heard her push off the desk and run to her side, it latched onto her wrist but Serena wrestled it free. "I'm sorry!" Mina gasped, trying to get in front of her. "I guess news of my arrival wasn't exactly shared all around. I knew you were new, but I wanted to talk to you about the hunk upstairs first, since his return and remaining was news to me. I thought you could give me an inside gossip."

"He's a law unto himself and would never allow another to formulate any sort of gossip. If you're looking for a story _Mina_." Serena couldn't be sure that was her real name. "Then look elsewhere, because you won't get one from me."

Surprise dawned in Mina's eyes and her mouth even hung low for a second. "You don't like him."

"There are people in this world who can't be liked by everyone. There are those that will slip through the cracks."

"Yes, but you really, honestly don't like him. Ooh, that's just too good!" Mina laughed a little scarily. "Just wait until I let this get around. God Darien has one person who isn't a blind follower. It's just too perfect and he has to work with you!" Mina's eyes suddenly danced. "Has he tried to kiss you yet, being the only girl in the world to provide a challenge to him, the only one who would dare say no if he asked you to do anything with him?"

Well that was completely inaccurate, she definitely didn't provide a challenge at all, she fell in line with his desires nicely, even moving it along herself. Not that Serena could tell this girl that. "I'm sorry? Does he do that a lot?"

Mina seemed to understand that her words could be misconstrued if in the wrong hands and she backed away from her claim instantly. "No, no, he's definitely proprietorial. Don't you dare think he would ever in anyway misbehave or push someone, I just wondered if your tempers got the better of you and the dislike was hiding more... interesting interests?"

Serena swallowed hard at how close she was to the mark but she had the timeline backwards. "You've been watching way too many romantic comedies."

"Yeah, all right, I'll buy that." Mina looped an arm around Serena's and lead her back outside, forgetting her stuff on the counter. "Let's have a walk and a nice coco at Lita's."

Serena didn't argue, though whether or not Lita would allow her another coco was something of a completely different matter. "You seem to know a lot that goes on around here."

"Well I should, I grew up down the block."

"There's blocks here?" Serena looked around. "Where? Why hasn't anyone pointed it out to me?"

Mina's laughter this time was nice and a bit infectious. "I can see that we're going to have a lot of fun together." Then she bit her lip. "I'm the 'events' girl."

"Why is it 'events'?" Serena asked with a lifted brow repeating Mina's finger signage.

"There's been very little to organize in that regard for awhile now and it has been rather lame, but you seem to be breathing a new life into this place already. I saw your work on Val's. Tying it to twysaer was only half of your genius. Then getting that massive chain to put it into the directed page for the vitawaters, that was a real gem. How'd you manage that?"

"By promising they could be a sponsor at an event that hasn't been created yet." Serena smiled broadly, hoping it wasn't too forward of her. "I wanted to talk to you about it, but its hinging on whether or not we'll even have a season."

"Don't worry about it." Mina's look was very supportive. "It's just because I haven't been here until now." She hesitated a moment. "Please don't leave, I'm sorry if things are a little tense. It's just a very strange year and I hadn't added to it, had I?"

Serena sighed. "No, I was just worked up because I had fought with Darien and was going to go blow off steam when you were being unhelpful." She frowned slightly. "As pointed out earlier this week, its event people rather than person, so where is your help?"

"Oh I'm sure it won't be long." Mina promised and as soon as they got inside the restaurant, Serena could see why.

The man that was sitting there was surrounded by females and they were all falling over themselves to have a moment to talk to him. Andrew was sitting opposite him and the two were talking and for all it was worth, seemed that they could ignore their magpies. Serena felt the breath expel her lungs as she realized who she was faced with, even as Andrew pulled her down onto one knee. This was someone who broke all the legends.

"Sere, I'd like you to meet Michelangelo." It was like looking at the _David_ but fully clothed. He was big and muscular but not big and muscular in the way Andrew was. Andrew was still the largest of the men in Pony, that was something he never had to worry about in a competition. He was almost like the brawny man but blond. Darien had more of a swimmer's physique but he was also strong and muscular, but this one, this was that idealized in the golden age image that everybody was a fan of painting or sculpting. What had been immortalized and housed in Florence. There was not a scar and not a scratch and not a piece of fat on his entire body, Serena could put good money on that. But there was something about him that didn't compare to the two she was comparing him to. It was almost too perfect, like he worked out in a gym and perfected everything about himself to achieve this look.

He was attractive and had she not been otherwise engaged or introduced to, she might have pursued this man herself. But now, with what she knew and who she knew, he had no appeal to her whatsoever in anything but the aesthetic.

Mina frowned faintly at the close connection between her and Andrew, but then lifted her eyes and greeted him as if it were the first time they'd met. And Serena thought with a jolt, _it was_. "I see you have already met my wife, Serena." Andrew continued as he spoke with the other blond.

The man smiled across the table at Serean a bit wryly. "Here Mina and Andrew have an instant connection and kick the two of us out of it and demand that we have no part in their conversation while we wait for an in so all of us could speak together."

Serena couldn't help but laugh at the assessment. "Leaving us to feel that if we start our own, we're being rude and loud."

"When really its them." He leaned in conspiratorial and it was no coincidence that she was right in front of him, inches away while they spoke. Though only to share confidences. He frowned faintly as he looked into her eyes. "Have we met?"

Serena shook her head negatively. "Probably just recognizing a like-minded individual." She wiggled her eyebrows with a bit of mischief.

His eyes were telling her far more than that, appreciating her sense of humor and responding warmly with it. "If that's the case- perhaps we better see how like minded we are and leave these two to get on with it."

Andrew was totally engaged with Mina and when Serena shifted to stand, Andrew didn't even seem to realize she was leaving. It was Mina who cut across the conversation. "Oh! Serena, I'm sorry, really! I needed to talk to you about something that I wanted to whip together for next week and need your expertise in getting it broadcast."

Serena hesitated, Michelangelo was at her elbow ready to follow her wherever she lead and she glanced up at him, seeing if he minded. "I'll probably be needed for the conversation too, this isn't something that she's run across me." Michelangelo gestured back to the table and Serena reluctantly took her place between Andrew and Mina. She would have liked to talk more privately with Michelangelo.

Feeling a dark gaze searing into her skin, she lifted her head from the conversation she'd found herself in this time to see Darien near the door, having stopped to watch her interactions. For whatever reason, she'd just found herself knocked down several pegs, again.

With a sigh she turned back to the others. "But we've already had a welcome to the new season party." Serena objected.

"No, that was a welcome to the lodge party. This will be the kick off to the season party. Absolutely no dresses, only ski-wear, just a little played down. Probably no ski or snowboarding boots or hats or gloves or scarves for that matter." Mina's nose wrinkled. "And only the ones that can pull it off should wear goggles either on their face or on their heads."

"But you're missing an important factor, if we announce this party as the opening to the ski season, what happens when they can't do so?"

"They're already generating snow on the highest part." Andrew informed her belatedly. "We've been working up there for the last few days. Trying to delay the inevitable, but if it comes to it, we will have snow, whether real or manmade by the time the season opens. We were just trying to reduce the amount of fake stuff that we had to produce on the more commonly used runs."

"Oh." This was definitely news to Serena but she figured that they all had contingencies in events like this. "But next week?" She couldn't imagine something like that happening so suddenly. "I thought it would be another few at least."

"Nope, just a few weeks before thanksgiving we always open the lifts." Mina beamed. "Probably in the East, they waited for colder weather, but here it generally starts as soon as it can. Most of the time we go out there and get a few blessed weeks of open ski without tourists."

Darien's story filtered back in and while his presence was physically gone by now, she could still feel him with her no matter where she was. But his story of hiking up the hill and then skiing when the hike got too rough, seemed to be exactly what these others were saying. She also supposed the Nordic trails would be well used at any point as long as there was enough snow.

Serena rolled her shoulders. "Ok, I'll see what I can do. Think I need to talk to Raye about price reduction?"

"Nope, opening weekend isn't usually a problem with getting rooms filled, just a matter of making it known that there is going to be a party for all who want to join." Michelangelo added to the conversation. "I think this idea is great." His smile encompassed Mina and Serena could feel Andrew tightening up slightly. She ran an eye over him and wondered if he was jealous or something. His face gave nothing away and he spoke warmly with the two newcomers as if they had been there since day one.

Serena was equally as warm and the four of them, all blond and blue-eyed found fast and lasting friendship as personalities and interests meshed so well it was scary. Anyone looking in on them might wonder if it was a family from Scandinavia vacationing in Pony for awhile. When others started to join them, it looked less like a gathering of homo-ethnicity and more like a real group of friends. Nobody felt left out with additions and nobody really had a problem with anyone else. The table got over crowded at one point and laughter could be heard as they pushed tables together and everyone started talking again.

–

Darien was no better than the freezing arctic in his attitude towards her for the rest of the week. It didn't take long to do the adverts about this coming week's activities. On Saturday, when she had started making plans for future events that Mina had enlightened her about, Serena's presence sparking new ideas and being able to finally put forth old ones, Darien closed his computer down and looked at her.

"What is it about Michelangelo that has bonded you to him so quickly?" Darien had noticed that the two of them were going all the time out for coffee, drinks, food, or even a walk or two every day. They were always laughing and speaking in code and secretively too.

Serena knew it, but she couldn't help it, in Michelangelo she'd found what she'd said that first day, a like minded spirit. They circled the same crowds, just in different arenas. They were too similar for her to ever think of him as anything but a friend. Which is what Darien was getting at now, he couldn't prove anything and he'd be a fool to try, but he thought Serena was cheating on Andrew with another person. Serena wanted to roll her eyes at the coolly ventured question, hiding so much behind its offhandedness, or maybe nothing at all. He claimed she was good at hiding her thoughts and truths, but he was so much better at it, he just didn't realize that. So with a shrug, she turned to him, closing down her own computer. "Michelangelo is a friend, we weren't before coming here, but that was only a serious gaff."

"But why him? Why not Mina?"

"Mina's a peach." Serena answered truthfully, Mina was a girl after her own heart and was just strong-willed. "Mina and I get along well also." She blinked rapidly, trying to distract him enough to get him to drop it, for really, how could she explain the instant bonding she'd had with a man that looked like that? And for it to mean nothing but a kindred that had waited to long to be put together and right. Surely Darien knew all about Michelangelo and his amazing feats.

The man could do everything. He was a model, he was a snowboarder, he was a professional baseball and soccer player. If she thought Andrew exceeded in the world of all sports, Michelangelo just proved it with experience and public recognition. Now too, he was an events man? However, Serena did have to admit, he was just the pusher, the one who did it right there with everyone else, pushing people along, almost like a trainer. Show them how to do it, and add a bit of a competitive edge. It was Mina who had all the ideas. But Michelangelo could appreciate good art, since he was named after one of the most famous pieces and had proven he could be hung up in rooms across the nation just as much if not more so. In some ways he was an easy jock with a good face, but he had a good heart too. He started up his own charity and fashion studio that were now producing top of the line products for all the sports he played.

"That's not a very good answer." Darien bit out, steadily losing patience.

"Look." Serena snapped back. "He's a friend and that's it. We both have faces that the other recognized and while we hadn't met before, it didn't matter."

This would be a point Serena would ask about today when the blond picked her up for a tea break. Which was any moment. Why was it only now, when they were in the middle of nowhere, that they finally met? Why did he come out here for the season? Didn't he need to oversee his companies?

All of which was answered yes when Michelangelo finally picked her up. "See you later, Dare." He saluted lazily before turning to Serena and dropping an arm around her shoulders. "Been a trying afternoon, love?"

Serena did give in to eye-rolling now. "Of course. Darien can't understand."

"He doesn't want to understand, nor would he if given half a chance. He's insanely jealous of any man who comes within a hundred feet of you."

A laugh and a head-shake were Serena's answers to that.

"I'm serious. He's possessive of you, and who wouldn't be with this bone-structure?" He traced her cheeks with a feather touch.

Serena smiled easily at that, the thanks in her eyes. "Now, I have a question, why did it take us so long to meet?"

"Because, you're still small fries." He cast a dubious eye around the place as they walked. "And if you stay here for any length of time, you'll remain that way. I can't believe you dropped everything to come here, Miss Serena Moon." A shake of his head. "Andrew is a very lucky man indeed."

The smile that lifted the corner of her face was almost sad. "I would never have made it big-time. Not with my aversion to cold weather and-" Here she shuddered. "Northern States."

"And yet, here you are in both."

"Ah, but not Northern East Coast." She pointed out for clarification. "And for the time in the cold, it isn't a permanent move. I'm only here for the season. In between jobs and this is the biggest job of my life. At least it pays well too. And I don't have very far to walk so I'm out of the cold in no time, almost as if I can forget I was ever in it."

"And free housing." Michelangelo's brows wagged as he caught on to exactly what she was saying. "If you pull this off, you'll have one heck of a story to tell." He pushed open a door. "Lets get thee inside."

It was over sweetly smelling brews with the steam wafting up into her face that Serena tilted her head to the side, trying to read the answer before she asked the question.

"I won't be able to give it to you, unless I have some idea what the question might pertain." He teased.

"I was just wondering why _you_ stay here all season. Aren't you busy with the million other things you've got going on?"

"Well the professional sports are done. I'm not entering any Olympic events again in the near future, my modeling days are behind me. I'm too old."

"Nonsense."

"Too kind." He wrapped a strand of silky gold around his finger and tugged her closer. "My business adventures are well cared for by stringent delegations. I check on them when I must. The rest of the time, I like the rather anonymity I get with this place, and the guests. I get free housing, free access to the runs I so adore. I have a lot of fun with Mina. In Montana's off-season I go searching for it elsewhere. If you were serious about summer events, I might find it in me to stay. I'm not a huge soccer player any more and after blowing out my arm in the series, I've blown off baseball too. But I wouldn't mind coaching or giving a hand."

"Are you fishing for more work?" Serena asked almost appalled at how many things this man could do and get done, a bit like Carson Daily and Ryan Seacrest. Only they weren't so physically active. It was especially amazing when compared to many others who just sat around at home all day who thought little things were too much of a chore. It definitely made her feel lazy. But not everyone could be afforded such sedimentary lives or even have the patience for them. It was all about aptitude and attitude and hinged heavily on personality.

Michelangelo's eyes gleamed at her in response. "I don't know... it depends on whether or not I consider it work."

"All work and no play?" Serena batted her lashes at him and received a wink in reply.

"I like playing." His finger twisted a bit more, taking more of her hair onto it, pulling her closer still. "Mina has offered me enjoyment in my work, here, but not in the rest of my life."

"No women to entertain that aspect?"

"Woman." He clarified. "I'd only want one. The right one."

"And Mina's not that?" Was she mistaken or were their voices getting quieter?

"Nope." His thumb was brushing her jaw now.

"I'm not available." She realized what he'd been doing and wretched her head away with belated knowledge that it would cause her pain. The hair shrieked in response to be pulled on so quickly.

He laughed and released her fully. She hadn't thought he'd intended for it to be anything but meeting of the minds with that action, but for a brief second she thought he was playing her. Now she knew she had been right all along. "No, I've seen that for myself only too well. And it's not for your husband that you deny me."

Serena's eyes grew huge in her face and he reached out to touch the slight darkness under them that added a flare of darkened depth to the otherwise clear pools. "I haven't an idea what you're talking about."

"You forget, I can read you like no one else can, benefits of the trade." He sat back in his seat. "And don't degrade me by pretending otherwise."

Serena huffed and fizzled out back onto her chair. "So I won't." She paused momentarily, thinking. "What gave me away?"

"It wasn't you alone." He wagged his finger at her. "Tut-tut, I'm not going to say anymore, it will be interesting to watch future developments."

"Then I won't introduce you to any attractive women that I know."

"More's a pity." He breathed heavily. "For I know that since they are introduced by you, they are attractive both inside and out."

"Got it in one." She grinned at him and then reached for her tea. "So, no hints?"

"Nope, but if he breaks your heart, I'll break his nose." Michelangelo seemed to reflect on that statement. "Interesting how I've disbanded my loyalties to him and joined your camp so readily. You are one special person Serena Moon."

"I'm not." She waved it away. "I'm just different." Michelangelo's eyes were faintly mocking as he picked up his own cup, but then, too, he had a right to it and Serena knew she wouldn't hold anything against him. "Would you believe me when I say that he thinks I'm only here in search of ridding every man of their pants?"

"He doesn't know you very well, does he?" Michelangelo's gaze drifted over her in thought, ending with the rings on her finger. "I suppose though that would be a fault of your own making." Serena sighed and looked into her tea. He was right after all, but she couldn't do anything to change it. "Just be yourself and eventually his eyes will open and see the real you."

"I hope so, it would make it easier than telling him that myself."

"He will, don't you worry." The grin he plastered on his face though was malevolent. "You just need to stop flirting with every male in the vicinity first."

"Arg!" Serena groaned. "If only it were that easy!"

They looked at each other and then shared the laughter.

–

EAN: So... this has nothing to do with the story, but I just read 4 books by the same author, different characters in each though with similarities throughout too numerous to mention. And I thought to myself (after a conversation about my own stories weeks before), about how I'd rather blatantly use the same characters over and over again and have a different plot in each, rather than regurgitate the same plot with different names of characters. The plot is what intrigues me about writing, and character development. How each character would react in different situations but the heart of them is the same. Now I do dawdle in OOCs but there's a basis for that with strong reasons behind them and they're usually secondary characters, occasionally main. But this world offers me so much, that they're really not too OOC as they could have any incarnation, for example in my mind Princess Serenity is vastly different than Usagi who is again completely different than Serena who is nothing like Neo-Queen Serenity. The only similarities between Serena and Usagi is Sailor Moon. That personality is generally the same and so Usagi and Serena can be different, but they only get so much tether. I choose names and settings based on their personalities and the plot. I could not write this story, for example, with Usagi. It wouldn't work. Their relationship would never fly in Japan, not how it is anyway and with the notion of them sharing a room having just met would be rather ridiculous. Not that something of the sort wouldn't happen, but its a bit more difficult to stretch the mind to believe. I can't even give you a definite stance on the Usagi/Serena personalities. In one verse I might say that Serena is more childish and in another I might conclude Usagi is. However their childishness and maturity is vastly different based on the topic. And if she is very mature in all things, I might even swing a present day Serenity, as the name lends itself to higher class. Sorry for the rant, but it was starting to drive me nuts that this author had so little in way of variance in characters, names, plot, situations, phrases and looks and definitely location. All of it was Gold Coast and Sydney. Can I just say that in 3 of the 4 the main problem was another woman and all three of them had a letter that began with 'C'? A little overkill, wouldn't you agree, we're getting the reference already. In the fourth there was another woman that was the problem, but her name started with an 'S' but then again she was Greek, so it could really be a 'c' sound. Lame. Whereas I've read other books in non-serial fashion and they are vastly different, some I love, some I detest and all with very different plots and not easily caught overtures. All right, I've finished, thanks for the time on my rant. ;)

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	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

AN: I love writing and I even love reading my own stuff, I don't know, I just do. Probably because I write stuff I want to read. But anyways, it's not about me or mine. But rather I'm a little sad that the stories I love of FF aren't getting updated. I'm a little bored in that sense. I like reading just as much as I like writing. But sometimes I want to read a good story and not write one. If any of those authors read my stuff, PLEASE UPDATE! I have only been getting updates from an author I occasionally read and not all of her subjects, just two, and she only updates what I don't read. Erg... Haha, sorry, ranting again. Here's the story's newest chapter!

–

It was finally opening weekend and though it wasn't that long ago that they had decided on the party, it seemed like forever ago that it got underway. Serena was tired and she looked at the decorations that Mina had tricked her into helping with. Tricked because Mina said that it would be a team effort and instead she ended up dictating where everything went while Serena did all the work. Serena glowered at the other blond as she wiped sweat off her brow. "Can I go change now?" Serena demanded when she thought everything looked just fine.

"Yep, and make sure you take the outfit I picked out for you."

Serena's scowl deepened, she was used to wearing things worse than that, but really this was completely ridiculous. "Are you sure it's not better suited for you?"

"Nope, you'll look _hot_ in it. I promise." Serena listened to another one of Mina's promises and shook her head. She had hoped that she would have time to convince Amy of picking out a cute outfit to impress Zolton, but she hadn't a chance to tackle Amy on it yet. "What are you thinking about?"

"How your efforts would be better served making someone else irresistibly hot. I already have a man."

Mina lifted a blond brow in thought. "Well Lita's got one too, Raye's knocked up, so any man would have to be willing to take that on, and while it'd happen, Raye's not exactly a nice person and I'm still thinking Jace will be here for her in the end."

"You and I seem to be the only ones." Serena muttered to herself, she had been warned off that way of thinking not once but multiple times by big brother to stay out of it.

The chipper blond ignored her as she enlightened on what Serena was talking about. "Oh, you mean _Amy_. Well that's a lost cause, I've tried several hundred times to get her to dress cuter to attract a man but none seem to be biting and she refuses to change for anyone. Claiming they'll like her as is or she doesn't want them. Can't argue too much with that."

Serena thought there was something missing in that logic, but she didn't press her point, there'd be other events and building up of confidences and convincing Amy what she wanted was right there for her. But now was not the time, she'd work on it gradually. Instead, now, Serena looked out the window and watched curiously as flakes came down.

Another light dusting?

"We'll be having a good opener tomorrow, mark my words. This is karma."

Serena winced as she heard Mina's words, at least she hadn't called it an omen. "Why's that?"

"You need a good opener party to kick start a season, without such, then there won't be anything to show for it." Mina pointed out over the hills. "See, someone agrees."

"We've had weather like this since I've arrived, and there isn't anything that has stuck. We've had _worse_ weather."

"Worse in this area is no snow." Mina reminded her. "That dump people mention in passing, it was too early, of course it wasn't going to stay. It melted and disappeared right away. This is good, it'll stay and it will be great tomorrow. Mark my words."

Serena was still doubtful but she didn't argue. She picked up the clothes that Mina had foisted at her and wandered off to her room to change. She slipped into the tight, black, form hugging nylon-longjohn-underarmor contraption that Mina picked out with a matching white long sleeved top. It stretched and breathed and kept her warm, but it also made her feel exposed. She never wore something like this normally, and when she had worn it, everybody was wearing something similar and she didn't feel out of place because she knew it was only temporary. Of course this was only temporary and she wouldn't be alone in an outfit, such as this, right?

When Serena opened her door it was to find Andrew standing there looking yummy in a matching outfit to hers, just not as form fitting. His had pockets too. "You look nice." Andrew's eyes instantly flicked up and down over her form. "Very nice."

"Speak for yourself." Serena moved self-consciously in it, but then straightened and owned it. It was nothing other than putting on a cool face. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yes, but you're not." Andrew reached out and wrapped a scarf around her neck. It was a bright blue-green and it wasn't all that warm. "There, now we're ready."

Out again in the hall, Serena could see the snow falling down outside in earnest now. It was the perfect backdrop to Mina's vision and she had to hand it to the woman, she knew what she was talking about. Now they just had to see if it would stay or not.

It was all customers that Serena saw when they came in and then the first person she saw that she recognized was Raye. Walking around, wearing yet another black dress, molding to her growing body perfectly. Pregnancy really suited her. Serena felt a little annoyed though that Raye got to get out of wearing something that Serena knew she'd never use.

Raye looked up at that moment, saw them, smiled, waved and then gave Serena a thumbs up for her outfit before going back to whatever it was she was doing. Mina appeared at Serena's elbow, sending her sky high when Mina whistled. "Meow, you look great."

"Halloween ended over half a month ago." Serena reminded the other girl.

"If that were true, we'd have already had Thanksgiving, and we haven't."

"That's only in two weeks." Serena grumbled. "And my statement stands. No more cat comments."

Mina looked at her a little disappointed. "Ok, fine." Then she looked away and grinned at Andrew. "You're looking good handsome. Care to convince your wife that she can have fun at this party?"

"I don't see why not." Andrew's mouth lifted charmingly and he turned to Serena, pulling her by her scarf closer until he could kiss her in plain view of everyone. Serena counted, trying to gently dislodge herself from Andrew's grip when the kiss lasted way too long. She slid up to his side and looked at Mina who had the strangest expression on her features before she brightened herself up into her usual exuberance.

"Wonderful! Now don't you feel much better? It's better than hiding out in your room all evening." Mina winked and Serena about strangled the girl when she saw that Mina was in snow pants and a fleece zipup. "All right then, see you later!" She waved goodbye to the pair as she disappeared into the crowd.

Serena was still trying to get her mind around what just happened. "Want a drink?" Andrew asked, spying a waiter who was carry a tray of them.

"Sure, why not." Andrew disappeared from her side and Darien took his place. "Don't you ever do anything that requires some kind of warning?"

Darien didn't look in the mood to play along with her tonight. He was scowling at her and she sighed and folded her arms, scowling right back. "I get that you want us to think that you're a genuine couple, but do you have to play it up here, right now in front of _everyone _? Don't you think it a tad inappropriate considering that we have all ages present?"

"I wish Andrew still disliked you, he'd be back here instantly telling you to back off and go bother someone else. So take his phantom words and do just that."

Darien's jaw clenched. "Fine." Then he disappeared once more.

All Serena had to do was turn and she was facing yet another person she recognized. "Lita!"

Lita smiled serenely at Serena. God that was a lot of Ss that were all very similar. Serena rolled her eyes at her own thoughts. "Have you tried the treats yet? I was hoping for a bit of a different view, Nash always tells me he loves everything I make. But you strike me as ridiculously honest. What did you think?"

"I haven't tried them yet." Serena could feel a blush coming on and she couldn't help it. Even though she easily bested Lita at cards, and so could hide her thoughts and proved it a few times now, Serena couldn't help but feel the pressure put on her by that comment. For usually Lita was right and now she felt bad for not having a comment about the food. "Though since you've made them, I'm sure they're fantastic."

"You always know exactly what to say." Lita laughed. "Come on, I'll show you my favorite."

Lita's favorite happened to be everything, which as it so happened, happened to be Serena's too. The two of them were laughing about that when Andrew showed up with a glass of wine for Serena. "Here, I hope it's still cold. You've been difficult to relocate."

With the crowd Serena could easily believe that. It wasn't like she was the tallest person in the room, or even the tallest female. Lita cast Andrew a slow smile. "Well it's usually a good bet to locate me and go from there."

Andrew laughed at Lita's joke and wrapped an arm around Serena, pulling her closer. "I should have known, you're right of course. Serena's always bound to be near you or someone with black or blond hair."

"That gives a very wide berth to look for." Serena tried to break in, they were talking like she wasn't there.

"Just commenting on how you're easy to lose but impossible to not be missed." Andrew tapped Serena on the nose and she smiled back at him. That was more like it, the way Serena recalled Andrew to be. Subtle but charming. She relaxed back into his arms, at the foremost he was always her best friend, discounting Lizzy and Molly. He'd never do or say anything to make her uncomfortable or rude.

"I wish my husband would say things like that." Lita sighed.

"Please, your one of the luckiest women I know. Nash adores you. He's always looking out for you or saying nice things, having you tag along when you're free. Don't come to any of us to hear a pity-me sigh when we know better." Serena rolled her eyes at the tall brunette.

Lita beamed at Serena. "Absolutely, the way it should be." Then she gave a conspiratorial wink. "But don't let him hear any of that, he'll get a bloated ego."

"Too late." Nash wrapped his arms around Lita from behind. "I've already heard and am puffed up so much that I might take flight to hear you agree to all the wonderful things Serena has said."

"Because Serena said it or that I agreed?" Lita raised a perfectly groomed brown brow.

Nash pinched her and after a startled squeak he grinned. "What do you think, wife?"

"That we're going to need a minute. Excuse us, Serena, Andrew." Lita pulled Nash away from the blond couple and out of the room. Serena chortled and after a stunned moment Andrew followed. They received strange glances from the guests near them, but they were left alone.

The rest of the evening went off well, dinner was fantastic and Lita and Nash let themselves back in just in time for the first course. Lita wasn't in the kitchen, everything was made and she could enjoy being waited on for a change. After dinner there were more drinks and a bit of dancing.

Serena snuck out of the room for a breath of fresh air. It was getting much too warm inside and she slid open a balcony door. She stepped out, closing the door mostly shut behind her. She leaned against the railing, surprised to see at least a foot of snow already gathered not just on the ground but the balcony as well. She pushed aside the snow on the rail for a mostly dry patch and leaned against it. Ignoring the fact that her feet were sinking and would probably be wet any moment now. She twirled her wine glass in her hand, just enjoying the falling snow and the night sky.

She heard the door slide open a bit more, but she ignored it, thinking it Andrew or Darien. Maybe even Michelangelo. The door slid shut the entire way and she winced, thinking that they might get stuck out here if it fused with ice. It was still plenty warm though so maybe it wasn't a real fear. Still she kept her eyes on the falling snow, it wasn't a sight she was used to seeing any longer, if at all. Snow had been rare in days long ago and this time she wasn't driving through it.

A body brushed against hers as she was joined at the rail. A little too close for comfort and Serena couldn't think of why any of them would do so. Her head turned and she noticed a man she had never seen before. She straightened and moved a step back, startled. Her eyes darted to the doors behind them.

"I've been watching you in there." He said with a wavering smile and glassy eyes. Something about him didn't sit right with her, not when she was this vulnerable, outside, alone. "You seem to be quite popular. I didn't think I would get a chance to talk to you."

"I wasn't aware. You didn't have to ambush me out here to have a chance at talking." Serena responded.

"Ah, but the kind of talking I'm interested in wouldn't be for others to overhear." He stood up as straight as he could and took a step towards her.

"Listen, you should back off." She held up a hand with her finger extended upwards, giving him a clear warning signal. "I'm not interested."

"You haven't gotten to know me yet, I'm sure you would be."

Serena crossed her arms over her chest in a purely defensive action. "I'm sure you could be a very charming man, but I'm not open for anything like that. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to get back to the party."

"What's the hurry?" He cut her off. "We've a lot to discuss first."

"I told you, I'm not available." She made for an attempt around him but he caught her arm and pulled her back to where she had been standing.

"Now wait a second, you talked to all those other men! Is there something wrong with me? Am I not good looking enough for you?"

The man was average at best, he had a fit body, as she could tell by the grip he still maintained on her arm, his face was all right, probably less freaky in different situations, but he didn't compare in looks to the men she was friends with just inside passed those doors. But even so, that didn't matter much to her. She wasn't someone that needed the partner to be better looking. She tried to twist her arm out of his hand. "It isn't about looks."

He hand squeezed harder and she could tell that she was starting to lose feeling in the lower portion of her limb. She was making him angry and that hadn't been her intention. He was drunk and horny and they were alone and he was getting upset. She needed to find a way to diffuse the situation. She'd tried telling him she wasn't available, but that didn't work, she told him she wasn't interested and that didn't work either. What more could she do? "I think it is. You didn't even look at me once all night. Am I that unpleasant to look at that you refused to glance my way? Or are you that selfish and vain that you cannot see anyone that would not advance your standing? I've got plenty of money. Is that what you want? I could pay you."

Serena forgot all about defusing the situation after his words, her temper flared and she yanked at her arm. "Pay me? Why you disgusting, horrible, ugly little man. I would never in a million years take money from you." The words she used were not well chosen but if she had to explain, it was all about his personality and his thoughts on her person, rather than a reflection on his looks. Which his how he took it.

"Ugly now, am I? Horrible? Well ok then, let me just prove to you how horrible I am!" He practically lifted her off her feet as he slammed her into him and his free hand reached up to grip her face, his thumb dug into one cheek hollow while his fingers bruised the other.

Serena tried to keep her lips closed as her free hand pushed at any part of his body that she could reach, first his chest then his shoulders, then she was slapping at his face, pushing him away, her fingers slipping around around, clearly a nuisance but having no effect. She tried gripping his hand, digging her fingers between his punishing grip and her skin but it was slow going.

Finally he broke the kiss but he didn't release her from either hand. She tried speaking around his fingers but it made it awkward. "Look, you're drunk, I'll overlook it if you just let me go, right now." He scared her. He easily overpowered her and she was never scared of men, knowing Andrew had made it impossible to and most usually backed off with only a no or a shake of the head. Perhaps she had been lucky or perhaps Andrew had protected her when she wasn't looking. She didn't know, but this was entirely a new situation for her.

"Let you go?" He laughed. "What do you think I am? Some kind of brute? We're only enjoying a little bit of kissing. Perhaps more if you'd come up to my room with me."

"I said no, and I am saying it again." Serena was trying hard to keep her wits about her and while she would like to scream and bring all attention down on him, he was a guest and she was a fairly new employee with a sketchy track record. She wanted to try and resolve this as smoothly as possible. "I say no to you touching me, kissing me and I definitely won't go up to your room with you. Now if you don't let me go this instant I will scream and then everyone will know that this is harassment and that you are going against my will and wishes. Please release me and respect my choice."

"You have some nerve coming in here dressed like that and flirting with all those men and then conveniently saying no when someone responds." His grip released from her elbow and she thought for a moment that he would do as she asked, but instead his hand moved to her waist and rested there for a moment. She tried to jerk away but his fingers only increased their pressure on her face. She gasped in pain. "I am showing my interest and you're clearly here for eye-candy as well as entertainment of the more private variety. Now either you will let me pay for services offered or I'll take it up with management on how you're soliciting yourself on the grounds. I don't think they'd approve of their client's disapproval."

"I think you're new here, because this is not the kind of clientele they support. I'm not a prostitute, and I'm not for sale. You cannot threaten me with something like that. Secondly a woman is allowed to wear whatever she wants. It is a free country and that doesn't mean that I'm open for business with any man that walks my way. I'm attached to someone in there and the others were just friends. Nothing more. A few are married themselves to other females in there. Women much more beautiful than I." Serena talked fast, knowing her anger was about to get her in trouble again if she didn't get released now.

The man hesitated and looked at her as if contemplating her words and for a moment she saw his eyes sharpen as if he was sobering up but then they were blurring again and she knew she lost him. She took a breath to scream but he bent and covered her mouth again with his. She tried to shove her hand between their faces, but he was too quick for her.

Then she was free, without a single hand on her. She looked around dazed for a moment and then realized there was someone standing in front of her, someone radiating with anger, but at the moment, not at her. It was directed towards the man on the ground. "For god's sake, she's _married._"

"Hey, I didn't know that!" The guy was slowly getting up to his feet, eying the man in front of him carefully, measuring if he could win in a fair fight. Deciding he probably couldn't, especially not with the anger backing the other one, so intending to turn tables.

"For the love of- use your eyes." His hand snaked out so fast that Serena was unaware of it happening and then her hand was lifted between the two men. "See-" He broke off as both of them realized that there were no rings on her finger. "Whatever, she is and even if she weren't, this isn't the time or place to be doing what you were intending to do."

"She didn't tell me she was married!"

"I told you I wasn't available, that I was attached!" Serena defended herself. "And I told you no, repeatedly." Her spine straightened as she bristled about the attack.

"That's not the same thing as married!" He denied. "If I had been told that, I would have backed off right away."

"It doesn't matter one way or the other, I told you _no_."

"No can be interpreted a lot of different ways." He struck back. "No, don't stop." He mimicked a female's voice but it wasn't her words.

The man between them rose to a taller height. "Get lost." He gritted out between his teeth and the bigger man waited a heart beat before he started to walk away.

"She didn't tell me anything about being married." Then he slipped back through the glass to go join the party and probably drink some more and then go after some other unsuspecting female.

"Darien-"

"I told you not to cohort with the guests or other employees." He stated coldly, turning his back on her. "It's not even a month and I already find you using your feminine wiles on a man."

"He forced himself onto me." Serena denied, reaching out for him. "I told him no, repeatedly, he grabbed me and kissed me. I tried to fight him off, but he was too strong."

"I saw more than just the one kiss. You stopped to talk for awhile." Darien ripped his arm away from her touch and spun to face Serena again, his anger was now solely pinpointed onto her.

"I was trying to reason with him, get him to let me go. I knew I wasn't any match for his strength, especially after the first kiss." Serena's eyes narrowed. "If you saw that one, you would have known that I was in trouble. Why did it take you so long to help me?"

Darien's reaction was obvious, he didn't like being put in the wrong and especially as he didn't agree. "I was down below, I saw him come out, touching you like you had planned it, it wasn't like you exactly jumped when he came out."

"I thought it was- Andrew." That was at least half true, unwilling to explain her irrational thought that maybe Darien had come himself. "When he touched me I knew it wasn't, but by then it was too late, he had me cornered. I came out here for a breather, I was drinking some wine. I- oh the glass, it must have broke in the struggle." Serena looked down at her feet but there wasn't glass or a patch of liquid on anything. She frowned, searching for the drink, wondering where it could have disappeared too.

"Nice cover up, broken glass would have added weight to your story." Darien growled at her. "But since that part of it was obviously a lie, let's move on to why you've decided to entrap another man."

"I wasn't trying to entrap anyone."

"You were leading on a host of men in there. What, no wedding rings this time because they itched?"

"I had them on when I left the apartments." Serena denied. "I had them here too, I must have lost them somewhere."

"Another convenient lie. What happened to them then?"

"They must have slipped off, they're a tad too big, I've-er- I've got smaller fingers than what they were bought for." There, that wasn't too bad of a stretch. "I've been meaning to get them re-sized but-"

"But you haven't had the time or the patience for it?" He snorted. "Yeah right. Your lies might fool everyone in there, but I know the real you. The only reason I don't go in there right now and tell all of them what a horrible little person you are, is because they're all having a good time and are so blinded, they think you're this angel that's been gifted to them. You're lucky because my sister's pregnant and any major shock could harm her in the process."

"That's only a slight possibility, she's young and strong." Serena snapped back. "So what's the real reason you don't sell me out? You think I'm this devil that's fooling everyone, you've got plenty of proof, half of it is personal, so why not? You're the brother, I'm only the new employee."

He took a step forward in anger, but then he stopped, unable to say anything for a moment and then he took another step. "Listen to me, one more slight indiscretion, and I will broadcast it to the whole world. I will make sure that you are so completely embarrassed that you will be unable to look a single person in the eye again for the rest of your life. I will throw charges at you for falsifying information and smack you with fees and fines so heavy that you'll never have enough money to support yourself again."

A tick started forming in Serena's cheek. Her expression never was so cold as it was now, it could freeze anything on contact and it would become an iceberg instantly. The stars in her eyes though only burned brighter and hotter. Despite everything, Darien was attracted to those eyes still and for once in his life he was contemplating murder, just so he could cut those eyes out and be free of her. She was a lying, conniving little tramp and he couldn't wait for the moment that she messed up in public, so he could flay her over the coals.

Serena for her part was trying to stamp down on her rising anger and found that there was nothing there. Her anger was so fierce that it didn't boil up but was content to sit a low, unforgivably hot boil. "So you think that I've been in the wrong. I asked for that man to assault me and ignore my protests. That because I slept with _you_ that I deserve to be treated worse than an animal. Well thank you for that enlightening announcement about how much we're _both_ worth. Don't worry about a repeat action. I'm not sure where my rings are but once I find them, I will have them resized so they'll never fall off again. And for sleeping with another man, much less won't happen. As far as I'm concerned, we're done talking too, forever." Serena turned on her heel and disappeared back inside, to search for her missing rings.

Darien snorted in disbelief and turned to go back to where he was before all this happened. Something sparkled in the light of the stars and he glanced down below the balcony onto the snow below. There was a shattered wine glass with the red liquid staining the freshly powered white ground. He ignored it and the small niggle of guilt at the base of his skull, it didn't mean anything and it didn't change his assessment of Serena. She was no better than a prostitute, she just didn't sell her body for money alone, she sold it for other gains.

That night anger held Serena over and after a terse goodnight to Andrew, which she later apologized for, as it was in no way truly directed at him, she stayed away tossing and turning before falling at last asleep in the predawn hours.

After a cold day in the office, where neither spoke to one another, Serena left, ignoring everybody and anybody, including Michelangelo's offer to take her out. Andrew was busy until late as the skiing got underway in earnest. Mina was right afterall about the start of the season. That night she didn't see Andrew and so went to bed before he got back in. None too soon though, angry tears started squeezing out at the corners of her eyes and she slept fitfully again.

A third night, more tears.

The next day, Raye came by and knocked on the office door. Darien let her in as Serena didn't see any reason to get up or communicate at all with Darien. "Nice set up the two of you have going here. Are you use you don't want a proper desk, Serena?"

"No, I work better when I'm not chained down." A snort accompanied her claim and three guesses who that was from. Serena ignored him and concentrated instead on Raye. "Is there something in particular you came here for? Should I leave the room to allow the siblings to... talk?" Not that Darien knew what the word meant.

"Actually, I came to see you. You've been hiding for the last few days and so I never got the chance to tell you we found your rings." Raye handed them over to Serena, dropping them into her palm. "They were by your chair for dinner. When you reached down for something, probably your napkin, they must have slipped off. I know how worried you were about them, so I decided to return them to you personally."

Serena looked down in gratitude, her eyes going to the rings and she stroked them with her free hand. "Thank you Raye, you would never know how ate up I would have been had I lost them. Thank you so much."

"No problem. Nothing too great for a friend." Raye smiled warmly and then straightened into her business persona once more. "Now, I'm back off to work. Darien, be kind. Serena, just... do what you've been doing."

Serena noticed Darien looking at her with a frown and she didn't even give him the pleasure of a return scowl, instead she turned and ignored him completely. To her, he no longer existed. And now that she had her rings back she slipped them onto her finger and held it up to look at it wonderingly. She spared several glances to her hand throughout the day. She told herself it was just to make sure they stayed put, but she couldn't help but feel like she had been lost without a reassuring presence there. It was silly really, to put so much foolish belief into whether or not her finger was bare. But having the ring on her finger just made her feel... well that someone was there for her, always.

The rest of the day wrapped up quickly and Serena stretched as she got to her feet. Wincing a little as her muscles weren't completely recovered yet. Then with a final arch back she started picking up her things. "Serena-"

She ignored him, not even tensing up when she heard his voice.

"Serena, please." Serena put everything in her purse and headed for the door. "I'm sorry." He said louder this time. "I was wrong about the other night."

Serena stopped at the door, her fingers on the handle, wanting to know why he'd changed his mind but unwilling to ask him.

"He made a pass at another woman and her husband was there to deck him right away. And Raye found your rings, you weren't lying about losing them. I should have believed you, but you can understand, with the way we met and the following second introduction that it will be difficult for me to get passed the original lies-"

"Keep it Darien, I'm tired of this. I'm going back to my room." She let herself out and he didn't follow. Today he didn't push it, but she knew him, he would, eventually. But he didn't believe her innocence because she'd said so, but because he had proof from other sources. Until he started believing her based solely on her word, perhaps not even then, she might revisit their current situation. But until then, he was not someone she would talk to nor listen to.

Not a single word.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

AN: Er... one month, two, it doesn't really matter. It's after Halloween when she gets there and its not yet Thanksgiving... Let's just pretend they're in a time warp and in this section of the story there are several months between those two holidays and in another section we'll just skip weeks altogether to make up for it. Or it could have been at least two months and she got there before Halloween and they had a freak snowstorm in September/October, that does happen, it's happened to me. In May too... Hope that doesn't confuse too many people. I originally had it be at least two months an then I realized to do a few things that I wanted to do, I needed to reset the clock so to speak. But other than that, everything is as it's said its done.

–

Serena spent an increasing amount of time with Michelangelo over the next few weeks. And frankly she couldn't remember a time she had more fun doing the things she loved. He taught her many different tricks she had never known before and she taught him ones that he never learned. "I thought being older and having seen more I would have heard or thought up everything."

"You must have the gift naturally." Serena told him on a very affected, high society voice. "That my dear is the very heart of it."

He threw a snowball at her in return. "The gift you have, in spades. I'd be sad see you leave, but you're squandering it here. Go out there, conquer the world. You're too young and too talented to be holed up here even for a season."

"I wish you'd stop telling my wife to leave me." Andrew's voice was playful and he wasn't at all bothered that Serena was seeing Michelangelo as often as she was. Or so Serena thought. He wrapped his arms around Serena and smiled at the other man. "I need her here. I couldn't do it without her."

"I'm sure you'd get by." Michelangelo quipped back.

"But we wouldn't allow it." Amy teased as she walked out, wrapped up with fur boots and heavy scarf. It wasn't that cold and Serena was used to Florida weather. Then again she was wearing only the warmest of clothing these days so she might be a little off-kilter with the real temperature. "We'd miss Serena too much." Amy added to soften the unintentional threat.

"Besides, I've already spent far too long without Serena in my life to let her escape on me again." Andrew cut back in.

"Oh? When was this?" Michelangelo couldn't have known, but Serena had a feeling he suspected something far too close to the mark.

"When Andrew first came out here, Serena had to stay back for about a month. We weren't sure she existed when it got pushed back even longer. Luckily not too much longer."

Serena wanted to quietly slip away, these were not things she wished to discuss. "You must have missed your husband terribly then." Michelangelo brought Serena back into the conversation. She had allowed herself to mental drift for a bit too long.

"Of course I missed Andrew." Serena laid a hand over Andrew's. "How could I not?" Michelangelo's eyes were on her thoughtfully and Serena was again aware that this man was far too human, far too perspective and saw far too much. He missed no small details. He would be formidable as a detective and wondered if he'd dabbled in that too.

"I can't always understand you." He muttered and looked away. Serena knew she'd have to answer to him at some point, but she'd rather put it off.

"Anyway." Andrew cleared his throat. "I came out to find you because you should come out to the runs. They're a lot of fun, more so than when I took you up to Connecticut."

"If you recall I didn't ski then either." Serena reminded him.

"Then don't ski, snowboard." Amy added brightly.

"No." Michelangelo and Andrew said at the same time and Amy's eyes widened in surprise. The two men looked somewhat alike, perhaps Serena had a type after all and it was tall, muscular blonds. They both seemed to know Serena well. At least that's what Serena thought Amy was thinking. What went behind the genius's mind wasn't always too easy to guess. At least when it wasn't cards.

"Is there something wrong with snowboarding?" Amy questioned slowly, looking between the two men and Serena, still wrapped within Andrew's embrace. "Or is it just Serena and snowboarding you both have an aversion to?"

"You hit the nail on the head. Serena's life is in her hands, among other body parts." Andrew quickly clarified. "A broken wrist and it could set her back ages and snowboarding gets a lot of broken wrists."

"Skiing's not much safer."

"But it is. You have control over both feet, not just one giant board and it is easier to control."

"I'll try snowboarding another time, I'm sure I'll like it, but its probably best I learn the easier one first, that way it'll get me on the runs more often." Serena covered for their gaffs. They were eying one another curiously, wondering how much the other _really _knew. They'd both be surprised.

Serena waved her hands. "At any rate, I'm not skiing."

That statement didn't last long. Within a week it was demolished.

All too soon, Serena found herself in snowpants, her waterproof jacket and with ski boots on her feet. She was going to go get her skis. Michelangelo was there with her and when she walked in to get her skis she was surprised to see Mina sitting behind the counter yet again. She had her feet propped up as the few renters were dealt with by the other employees behind the desk, running to get skis. A wide grin crossed Mina's face at seeing the two new comers. "Ah, about time! I was beginning to think we had a blasphemer on our hands."

"I don't ski." Serena repeated and it fell on deaf ears, not for the first time.

"She's going to get lessons today from... well whose on staff for beginners?"

Mina's face screwed up. "Well it was supposed to be Uistean but he called in sick. I'm not really sure who they got to cover for him. The replacement hasn't stopped in to chat." Mina rolled her eyes. "Whoever it is, isn't going to last long. Not very friendly if that was anything to go by."

Serena couldn't help but agree with that assessment. She made a face though. "So if he's horrible, I can get out of skiing if I don't like it?"

"Nope." Michelangelo hip-checked her. "You'll just have to learn from the master."

"While you're on a snowboard, I'm supposed to be learning how to ski?"

"Do as I say, not as I do." His grin was huge and Serena blinked from the sheer magnetism from behind it.

"Has anyone ever told you that you're very cliché?" Mina commented brightly, so used to him that she didn't even see it anymore, perhaps ever.

"Only you. Now, Mina, would you mind getting her the best skis for her level?"

Mina eyed Serena for a long moment before she disappeared and then came back with wide rounded tipped skis that were pretty short. "They won't go as fast when they're shorter." Mina explained. "The rounded tips will keep you better afloat on the snow."

Serena nodded and took the skis after they sized them to her boot. Michelangelo helped her with her boots and then she was ready to go hit the slopes. "You sure you won't come with me?" She turned to him, looking at the long trek she had to go on the flat ground before she got to the beginners course.

"I'm sure, I'd die of boredom and then would have to make fun of you to keep me entertained. But I won't be far. I'll be warming up on some of the greens not too far away, you'll be seeing me when you move over to them. Then the entire time that you're skiing, I'll be right by your side."

"Sure you can't just give me a few pointers and then we can skip the whole lesson thing?"

Michelangelo shook his head. "Best you learn from a trained instructor who is on skis, I'll only be able to give you pointers unless I switch over to ski with you."

"Can't see why you couldn't do that originally." She grumbled as he walked with her to the instructor. "Andrew could have taken me out."

"Andrew's teaching the upperclassmen." A familiar voice told her and she stopped dead in her tracks as she looked up to see who was in charge.

She felt the blood drain out of her face and she turned to Michelangelo with her hand going around his wrist. "Now I know for sure I shouldn't do this. I'll be mysteriously dead by the time the class moves up to the first green."

Michelangelo laughed and pried her hand off of him. "It won't be that bad. I'm sure Darien won't kill you and dump your body somewhere, right?"

Darien eyed her and could see the reluctance she had to be in his class. "Come on, Serena, it looks to promise to be a smaller class than normal. Your presence will be missed if I attempt anything of the sort. I give you my word that I won't murder and stash you somewhere." He gave her a beseeching smile and she was pushed from behind, she turned to glare at Michelangelo.

"I bet you both conspired to do this."

"I didn't know he'd be teaching, I asked Mina, remember? She didn't know."

"Maybe she was in on it."

"Why would she? Why would anyone want to force the two of you together? It makes any room drop below freezing."

Serena had to admit that and with a wave she said goodbye to Michelangelo. Then she turned on Darien. "You knew I'd be skiing today!"

"I just knew you had the day off. The regular guy who taught this class called in sick, I've taught this and all the other levels before, so I'm only covering until he gets better." Darien countered. "You've had days off before and you never went skiing."

"How would you know?" Serena asked suspiciously.

"I know everything." He tried to make it a joke, but it wasn't very funny and was probably true.  
"And I've done a lot more skiing over the last few weeks since opener than _you_ know."

Serena reluctantly gave in to his logic. She didn't track him and even if she did, she couldn't track whether or not he'd been skiing since this was her first time on the runs. "Fine, but if you give me any instructions that are contrary to what you've given the others, then I'm gone and don't talk to me unless it is to help."

Darien sighed and took the skis from her. "Best to put these on before the others get here, can't have you claiming that I was intentionally trying to embarrass you by not helping." He put them down on the ground and showed her how to get into them. When the other students arrived he went off to help those that didn't already have skis on their feet. Then he taught them all how to fall safely, get back up, take off the skis, put them back on, fall again, then how to get rid of the ski if it was hindering the ability to get back up but he pushed the idea of keeping them on and perpendicular to the slope. Then he taught them basic maneuvering of side to side, keeping your body facing the way you wanted to go, even if your skis weren't.

He had everybody laughing and Serena was pleased to note she wasn't the only adult in the class, though they were far overrun by children. He didn't look or talk to her individually unless he was making rounds and even then he kept it to a minimum. Serena focused on her skiing and tried to ignore him on the other side of the hill, just as she tried to ignore him when she was working. As then, she couldn't do it and was well aware of him and his movements.

He was good with the kids too. They all looked at him and watched his every move, all hung on his every word. The adults were the same way and she hated to admit it, but she was the worst among them, though she tried to pretend she wasn't.

"All right." Darien cleared his throat. "We're going to go use the rope." He taught them all how to do so and then one by one, they went up to it, put their feet in the grooves and hung onto the rope to allow it to pull them upward. Nobody fell, at least nobody in front of Serena. Everybody got off of it all right and waited for Darien's further instruction.

It was only a small hill, not much bigger than the one they had just left. "We're going to do the pizza the entire way down. But I want you to turn as you do so by putting weight onto your different feet, remember though, on the inside of each foot, not the outer edge."

He demonstrated a few turns and then turned to them. "Each of you will go individually and follow the last person." It was kind of fun to try and mimic the one that went before. Serena was pleased that she was able to do so. He gave praises to each student, and all of it was individual praise. "Good job." Was his words to Serena which wasn't any of the above, just as she'd wanted and when everyone finished, Darien nodded and turned to the other thing pulling people up the hill. "This is a t-bar, its a little harder than the rope, you need to commit to it before you go in, because it comes and you can't wait to grab it, you need to time it, get in and situated. If you'll watch for a moment." One of the other people on this hill came and slid into the tracks, put the bar behind them and half sat as it took them up. Serena moved instantly to try it, some of the kids weren't big enough or brave enough and went back to the rope.

She felt Darien's eyes on her as she volunteered to be the first up. He waited until everyone cleared the bottom and then joined them up top. "Now I want you to put your skis together like fries."

"Pizza and fries, Darien? What are you trying to do, make us so hungry we leave?" One of the men quipped.

"And herring too." He added good nature. "It's the easiest way to get you to remember the moves. Most people's lives are ruled by their stomachs."

"You lost us at that one, gross." The man laughed. "Though I suppose popsicles and pie would have worked just as well."

"Any rate, popsicles, fries, the skis are together as you go down hill. Remember though to always look downhill and let your feet do the moving for you. If you feel like you're going too fast or you want to stop, put your feet together like a piece of pizza. Now, only worry about the people in front and beside you, the people behind have to watch out for you unless you're merging or going in front of another hill."

He let three go at one time, all lined up. The lesson was pretty slow for Serena, she got the hang of it and wanted to move on, it was too easy, but other students were struggling. And they weren't just some of the kids that were having problems. Eventually they moved on to the green circle slopes and the chair lifts. "There are a few T-bars throughout the course, but usually to get up where you're going you'll need to use a chair lift. They are not all the exact same and some of the ones that go higher have hoods to protect from the cold. Some have bars, like this one to help keep you in, but that's only a secondary safety feature and only because this is the most popular with some of our less advanced students. If you can sit still and back, then you won't even need that but if its there, use it."

He taught them how to get in and off the chair lift and stuck around to help any of the students who needed help getting on. Serena kept back with him until all the kids were paired off with an adult and she was one of the last to get on. Darien was only in the lift one chair behind her. When she was up top, she got off easily enough though the kid next to her fell and the lift had to be paused while they made sure to move him out of the way and was all right.

Serena skied to a stop next to a few girls that had been in her class. They were in their teens. "We have the school rally next week." One of them was complaining and Serena perked up.

"Really? Why so glum about it?" Serena questioned, she had always loved those when she was a student.

"They're so boring, trying to get us excited about the election. The winner is never a surprise." Another girl commented. "The cheer team is pretty pathetic."

"But what about everything else, the gymnastics team, the dance team?"

"We don't have either of those. Anyone who dances here has to find the talent outside of school and even the resident dance instructor has left now, er, five years ago. It's sad too, because I really enjoyed it."

"There isn't a dance teacher anymore, anywhere in this town?"

"Nope."

"What about theater?"

"Nothing."

"That is really sad." Serena looked at them, wondering what she could do to help brighten their moods and then she grinned. "What if I knew someone who could help with all those accounts?"

Darien turned to look at her, the last word must have carried over because he was frowning at her again. He must have been talking. "Remember, stick on the greens. I will try to stick behind and follow all of you."

"You really know someone that could help?" A girl asked her and Serena's head swiveled back to them and she nodded. "That's great! There's this big dance that we wanted to put on for Thanksgiving but nobody has the talent or skill to help us."

"Can any of you dance at all?" Serena asked, wondering where they would begin and all of them started off down the hill.

"We took lessons for awhile. That's why we're so close. We've just gotten into skiing because we're finally accepting that there isn't a place or time that we can practice and nobody to help teach us."

"If you had a teacher, is there any place big enough to hold all of you?"

The girls looked at each other before turning to her and nodding. "There is a place."

Serena bit her lip, wondering if she should do this, she was already on uneven ground as it was with Darien... Then she shook her shoulders and made a resolve. "All right, we'll talk later about the details."

They all made it down the first time without problems and they all went up for a second time. After that they were released to do as they pleased. Darien slid into the line next to her as people started coming and filling up the space. "Good turn out." Serena commented as she noticed the wait a lot of people had.

"It is." He agreed. "Better than previous years." He held her elbow when they were jostled and she almost fell. "There is only one person I have to thank about that."

"You don't have to thank anyone. It isn't for you." Serena released her elbow from his grip. "I thought I told you-"

"Listen, can't we just, I don't know, forget about that mishap at opening weekend?"

"No." Serena bit out. "We can't. I was totally innocent in all of that and you didn't believe a word I said."

"He's had charges put against him. I had your name added to the restraining order. Nobody will know anything unless you want them to, but he's not allowed near you, drunk or not."

They sat next to one another on the lift. "I didn't need you to do that. I only needed you to believe me."

"And I do."

"After you have proof elsewhere." Serena couldn't wait for this thing to get to the top so she could go look for Michelangelo. She'd tried calling him, but with no result.

"I know its not ideal, and I've made my case known, but I do believe you and I want to get passed this."

"Why, so you can just accuse me of something else?" Serena looked away and she didn't see his hands tightening on the bar. "Just let it be Darien, we get along best when we're not speaking to one another."

"I apologized."

"And I told you the truth." Serena's head whipped back around to glare at him. "Neither one of us got what we deserved."

His temper was barely in check, she could see his nostrils expanding and pressing tightly closed again. The scar on his lip made him look more menacing as it lifted his top lift into a snarl. She wondered again where he might have gotten those scars from. But she'd never ask, not with the way things were now.

"Fine." He bit out.

"Why are you even up here with me, don't you have classes to teach?"

"I'm done for the day, that was my last class." He grounded out. "I bet you're on the look out for Michelangelo."

"And Andrew." She lifted a brow. "Or did you think I forgot about him being out here?"

"You won't find your husband. He's on the triple blacks. Some place only the best go to."

"I'm glad he's in that category." Serena felt her heart beat a little faster though, triple black diamond? Wasn't that steep, narrow and tree filled?

Darien hesitated. "You're doing really well for a first timer. Are you sure you haven't done this before?"

"I take that as a compliment." Serena lifted a brow but she nodded. "I've never skied before, not even Nordic. Though I have skated. Similar ideas in keeping weight on the inside, verses out, depending what you're doing. Stops are different."

"Actually you can do a hockey stop if you wished and were good enough." Darien explained. "I do on occasion, its easier than the carrot if you're doing a lot of cutting back and forth."

"Hmm." Serena dwelled on that for a moment, trying to picture it in her mind and realized it could in fact be done. "I'll have to try that."

They had just gotten to the top of the lift when Michelangelo skied down from further up. There was a second lift for people wanting to do the harder colors. "Hey." He scooped Serena up and did a spin stop with his snowboard. He would have taken her out otherwise, but then again if it hadn't been intentional, he'd not have stopped so close to where she stood with Darien.

"You know that's probably not the safest thing to be doing with all those extra additions to both of your feet." Darien commented, his eyes on Serena and watching her be lowered to the ground, back on her skis.

Michelangelo ignored his warning and winked at Serena. "Ready to go do some slopes?"

"Sure thing. I don't know why nobody told me about this earlier. Skiing's fun!" She grinned broadly. "I might try snowboarding next."

Michelangelo shook his head in wry amusement. "Your funeral."

"She's actually doing pretty good." Darien inserted. "Though she's still a beginner so take it easy on her."

"As if I'd do anything else. Race the two of you down to the bottom?" Michelangelo wiggled his brows.

"Why not." Darien agreed and the two of them set out faster than Serena could keep up. Her skis slowed her down somewhat, but she just didn't have the control yet that they did. They were further and further away from her. She watched them cut through a blue to try and best each other. Serena rolled her eyes and decided to go a different way herself. They'd find her eventually. If not there was always her cell.

The way she chose was wide open and looked fairly flat. There were some moguls to her left, but she could ski around those. She was going pretty fast and realized that she was coming up to an edge. She slid to a stop and it was just in time. What lay beyond was pretty much straight down. Her stomach clenched in instant fear. That wasn't something she wanted to do.

People skied by, whipping pass, not worrying one bit about what lay beyond them and many of them handled it skillfully. A few crashed near the base, and usually in the same area. She heard talking behind her. "Lets go on some easier runs for awhile, cool our muscles down and then go have lunch."

"Sounds good to me."

"You two go on ahead." That voice was familiar and Serena turned when a pair of skis came to a halt next to her. "Serena? What are you doing on a black?"

"Good question." Her hand instantly went to Andrew's and she squeezed it. "Andy, I'm a bit scared."

"You wouldn't be if you were trained for it." He gently pulled her back a few inches from the edge. "Turn sideways so you don't go flying off without meaning too." He took off a glove and pushed back some strands of hair that got free after she did so. "Weren't you going skiing with Michelangelo?"

"I was." She agreed.

"I'm going to kill him for letting you out of his sight." Andrew looked around and frowned as the best way down was down. "How'd you get here?"

"I took that path." Serena pointed to where she had come from and he nodded grimly. "There weren't any signs telling me that it was a black."

"We'll have to get one up that tells you earlier than when you finally stumble across it. It's a green until you get here. We need one that clearly tells you that. Thank god you're the only one that we've discovered that's made the mistake. Most look at the maps first, but even the best can get turned around." He squeezed her hand tightly. "We're going to have to go down this way. I want you to do the snowplow the entire time down, stop often and make sure you go side to side."

"No!" Serena glanced widely down at the steep run. "Can't I just take my skis off and walk down it?"

"Those boots aren't the best for it." He argued. "Your skis were meant to handle this. Trust yourself. The hardest part is just the first one, getting over the ledge. It isn't as bad after that." He hesitated a moment. "Afterwards, if you decide its too much, we can try it that way, but you have to try this first." Andrew let go of her and gave her space to do so. "I'll be following you down. Go on."

Serena took a deep breath. Darien had mentioned at one point that it was easier to ski the slopes than walk down because once you got too far over your feet walking, then you'd be tumbling. Andrew said basically the same thing and she came back to the edge with a sideways approach, towards the furthest tree line.

She got too much speed and it was hard to stop herself, much less turn to go the other way when the trees seemed to be rushing into her face. But stop she did and her legs were wobbling by the time she did so. Andrew joined her in seconds. "That was great!" He praised. "Just make sure you try to cut back a little bit more, turn in a nice easy bend." He rubbed her shoulders. "Ready for another one?"

"No."

"It'll be all right, its better to go now before your legs lock up too much."

"I'm not worried about them locking up, I'm worried to get them to get under control again." He was looking at her worried, but she shook her head. "I'll be fine, just give me a moment to have a breath. I'm out of shape." She shared a smile with him over that, and then she nodded. "Ok, I'm ready."

This time she went slower and actually managed two turns and got further down the hill. She had to stop though because her legs were killing her. He slid to a stop next to her, keeping a safe distance but not needing to work so hard to get there. "Are you ok?"

"There has to be an easier way than this. It's killing my legs."

He nodded. "You can always try the fry, but I'm worried that you'll get going too fast and won't be able to stop in time."

"I'll try it." Serena did and she was doing all right, she was going too fast for her comfort, but she was managing to keep her feet going the ways she wanted to. Then she got really fast and she tried to break into a snowplow but she was too late and she went toppling over and rolled down the hill a few more feet, she spun to a stop and groaned. Andrew's hands were there right away, keeping her still for a moment. "I'm fine, I didn't hurt anything."

"Get up, slowly." He instructed and she did so. She lost a ski somewhere along the way and he went back for it, it wasn't too far back. He handed it to her and allowing her to brace against him, she locked her foot into the bracket. "Back to snowplow?"

"No, I'm going to try that again. We don't have too much further to go." Serena hesitated before she went again and then with a deep breath she forced herself to move. She was the only one that was responsible to getting herself down. Nobody else could do it for her.

It was slow going and she made many sharp turns, loosing balance once or twice but nothing as bad as that first one. She was happy nothing got hurt, she tucked into a ball and protected everything in need of protection. It wasn't too often someone got hurt. She finally made it to the bottom of the run and looked back up it with relief. It didn't look as bad this way. She must have fallen where most people fell. Andrew clasped a hand on her shoulder, and she saw the pride in his features.

"Good job." He rubbed her back. "Let me show you the best way to cut across lots of flat ground on skis. It doesn't work on anything else."

He seemed in such high spirits and was so positive, how was she to know he was hiding such furious anger? She only knew it the second she spotted the other men. They were looking for her and scanning the runs and the crowds on the ground. She heard her phone ring now and saw that Michelangelo was calling her. She was fumbling for it in her pocket, but Darien had spotted her and hit Michelangelo on the arm and pointed towards her and Andrew. Andrew saw them too and was gone before she even knew her phone stopped ringing.

Andrew flattened Michelangelo. Standing over the now prone man with anger rolling off of him. Darien straightened into a defensive pose, waiting for Andrew's anger to switch over to him, but Andrew was only interested in the man on the ground. Michelangelo started getting up and Serena slid to a stop next to Darien. "What's going on?" She demanded, sliding one foot forward but Darien held an arm out in front of her, keeping her back.

Michelangelo held up his hands and Andrew made a grab for him and deflected. Andrew hardly ever got ruffled and never resulted in violence. He was such an even tempered man. "How could you let her out of your sight?" Andrew demanded.

"Easy, she's fine." Michelangelo turned his glance to Serena to make sure he wasn't lying. "We thought she was sticking to the greens and was right behind us."

"You went down a blue." Serena commented unhelpfully.

"We did." Michelangelo agreed. "But there were plenty of greens next to it."

"WE?" Andrew demanded.

"Darien and I were racing to see who could get to the bottom faster."

Andrew tried to calm down and moved away from the other blond and towards Serena. "Do you have any idea where I found her?"

"No." Michelangelo stated honestly, for how could he?

"On a black, but not just any black, but Devil's Wave, the mogul one. She had managed to make it to the smoother area."

Michelangelo gulped as two pairs of eyes burned into him. "I didn't realize she'd gone off that far. We were looking for her the whole time. We were just debating whether or not we should go back up and fan out to scan the trails ourselves when we spotted you."

"What are you even doing here in the first place?" Andrew demanded of Darien.

"Teaching Serena to ski." He answered, not flinching a bit. "We'd finished the beginners lesson and they were free to do what they wanted. I saw she was alone and joined up until Michelangelo found us again. Now for your public display-."

"Andrew doesn't do that sort of thing." Serena cut in. "He was just protecting me." She covered his hand and held tightly. "Come on, let's just forget about it and do some more skiing?"

Andrew shook his head. "I think its best if you return to the lodge."

"I'm going to do some more skiing. Michelangelo?"

The blond's face twisted but he nodded. "Sure thing doll."

Serena didn't ask Darien but moved towards Michelangelo. Andrew straightened. "If you're going, I might as well go too." Darien followed behind, and Serena couldn't help but glance back at him. Glad he was coming along, and not just because he was another good third party to keep these two from going at it. She really couldn't understand what had gotten in to Andrew. Sure it was difficult but it wasn't life-threatening, was it?

Later Mina explained that it could be if you weren't prepared for it or had a good coach to help you down. A few people had gotten injured on that run. Serena was lucky.

In the meanwhile though Serena tried to ski, she really did but everywhere she went, she was followed by not just one male but three. To be fair though, Darien kept back and only observed. She kind of felt bad for him, here he was, doing a favor for his sisters and once he was done for the day, thought he'd end up hooking up with a friend to ski for longer. Although he knew that Serena would be there, she was his method of tagging in. It was Andrew that was unexpected for all of them, and he was starting to get on her last nerve.

Whenever Michelangelo would come to snowboard along side her, Andrew would ski up real close and she'd falter because the two of them boxed her in and surprised her. Andrew would give her, albeit encouraging words, and pointers on what else she could do. She kind of ignored him though because she was under no doubt which stage she was really on. She was getting better and doing more than she thought she could originally.

However she really was tired of them competing over something and whatever that was, it wasn't her. Or at least she didn't think it was. Michelangelo knew she was taken and hadn't expressed an interest in her and Andrew, well it was silly to try and win her, for what purpose? When they got to the bottom of the run, she slid to a halt next to Darien and told him to move aside. "I'm joining you on this next lift up."

There was a bit of protest from both the blonds behind her, but she ignored them. If she had it her way, she'd ski down the rest of the way without them too but she first had to make her way back to the run that would send her to the lodge or rental area. That was going to take some maneuvering.

A twitch was playing along Darien's upper lip as they boarded the lift and it took them up. This one had a dome to cover them, though it wasn't going up _that_ high, was it? They were inclosed in their own little space, the rest of the world couldn't hear them and it was difficult to tell who was in it, much less what they were doing. "Don't even dare." Serena warned knowing he was going to have a smart comment or a laugh about this. She turned to face him and she forgot how close they already were. In this, they were within the other's breathing space. Her breath ironically caught in her throat.

He was looking at her and the humor died out as their eyes caught and something deeper, more hidden was happening. He lifted a hand to brush his thumb across her cheek. "I was only going to say... I'm glad you joined me. It was getting pretty lonely." Though there had been a partner up for every lift.

"And we don't have to be alone." Serena jumped to what he was _really_ saying. She shook her head. "I thought for sure there was going to be some type of remark." Like how the only time she wanted to spend with him was to get away from the others.

"Exactly my thoughts." He dropped his hand back down to his lap and looked away, looked forward to watch their assent.

"If only it could be." Serena said to herself on a faint breath.

"It could be." He said in return and Serena had a faint idea of what he was thinking.

"It has to be." Serena shook her head and looked down to her hands. One was holding the ski poles, the other was resting on the bar of the dome.

She lifted her head to look at him and he was already looking at her. At her movement, he came closer and with the barest hint of his lips against hers, he kissed her. She thought maybe she dreamed it because the lips were gone in the next breath and the dome was lifting and they were going to get off.

Serena caught up with Darien and knew she only had minutes before the others were going to join them. She stopped in front of him, hands working on the straps while she faced him. "You have to stop that. I can't try to be good if you're going to keep undermining me. _You_ keep kissing _me_." She jabbed a gloved-finger at him. "I'm not the person that you think I am, you're not going to trip me up and find a way to toss me out. I'm not going to betray the trust that Andrew has put in my hands."

"I don't want you to." Darien's whole attitude suddenly changed at this assault. "That's not what this was about."

"Look, whatever we felt for one another was just the situation and a few drinks. It was a one time thing and its best if we leave it there." Serena cast a glance around to make sure they weren't being overheard. "So stop kissing me."

Darien's eyes were on her. "You think what you want. I know that you react the same way you did that night. But I don't want you, not mentally at least. I'll try to restrain myself in the future. _I _wont kiss _you_."

Why is it that she had the feeling that he just laid down the gauntlet, ready for her to pick it up and take the next move? Just the way he said that was daring her to kiss him. "If you're waiting for me to act, you'll have a long wait." Serena tried to stand tall. "But just like all the other men here, you're off the radar. There's this little rule, not to mention morals about that kind of behavior."

"See that you remember it."

"There isn't anyone that I wanted to break the rules with."

"You say that now, but I'm sure its only a matter of time before someone stirs your interest long enough to get you to misstep. When it does, I'll relish tossing you out."

"I won't give you the satisfaction. I'd rather walk out."

"Are the two of you fighting again?" Andrew dropped an arm around Serena's waist. "I thought you got over that." Andrew lifted his gaze to Darien questioningly.

"We're both strong willed and hot tempered. I guess we'll find almost anything to argue about." Darien covered for them and Serena was surprised he was able to ramble off an excuse so quickly. "It's nothing serious."

"Hey, Andrew-" She turned and batted her eyes up at him. "I'm so glad that you found me and were able to come skiing with us. However I did tell Michelangelo that we were going to go together. How about another run, just the two of us and then you take Darien and split off to do something harder. I know I'm just _boring_ the two of you."

Andrew had misgivings and Serena squeezed his arm. "It was both Darien and Michelangelo's fault, not just Michelangelo's. Without the temptation to race Darien, Michelangelo will always be by my side in case I need anything. It's really not fair to place the blame at his feet. I told him it was all right. It was just a green run, who knew that things could get so dicey so quickly?" She gave him a pleading look and Andrew gave right in.

"Oh all right." Andrew leaned down and gave her a quick peck. "I'll ski with Darien for awhile and you can have Michelangelo all to yourself, like you had planned."

With a pleased look at Andrew, and throwing her arms around his neck, Serena tossed Darien a triumphant grin. "Ok then, let's not waste the run." She took Andrew's hand and they skied down together, crossing in and out, side by side. He had to considerably slow his speed, but she knew he didn't mind.

Michelangelo and Darien joined them at the base of the run and there was a slight hesitation before Andrew pulled her to him and gave her a deep kiss. "Be good." He teased and dropped one more onto her brow. "Come on Darien, let's leave these two alone." Andrew moved away but he slowed as he neared Michelangelo, giving him a dirty look. "See to it that you both end up back at the lodge in one piece."

"We'll stay on greens and easy blues." Michelangelo promised with an easy grin, Serena was impressed about how well he handled the situation. Michelangelo waited until the two went up the lift before he turned to Serena. "What would you like to do now?"

"Work our way back. I'd like to see the other runs as well further that way." Serena could feel it in her legs already, and it was only because they were muscles she didn't use as often or in that way. Michelangelo gave her a knowing grin and she hip-checked him. "Jerk."

"Come on." He gestured to the next lift over. "Might as well get a start on it."

Serena enjoyed the rest of the day. It was a lot of fun and was surprised when she and Michelangelo walked into the restaurant to find Zolton there. He was eating by himself but welcomed their addition at his table. "Were you here to see anyone in particular?" She asked with mischief in her eyes, she had an idea who it was he was looking for.

"I'm just enjoying a meal." Zolton evaded but his eyes betrayed him as he glanced towards a table which sat both a pregnant Raye and her sister, Amy. They had waved when the two blonds first entered but had been half way through their meal and went back to it. Serena shared a look with Michelangelo but turned her attention back to her food soon afterwards, making polite inquiries about Zolton's day and his work.

By the time the Shield sisters left, the entire table was laughing and had grown in number. Zolton was pretty witty when he set his mind to it. And today he showed them all that he could and then some. Serena leaned against Michelangelo's shoulder as she came down from a laughing fit. She turned her head into it and rested her forehead against the joint. "Gods Zolt, you-" Whatever she was going to say died off as hands slid around her shoulders and someone leaned over her, moving her slightly away from Michelangelo to kiss her forehead. She glanced up through her eyelashes and Andrew and she gave him a warm welcoming smile. She couldn't help her eyes sliding away from him to see if Darien joined him, but there was no dark haired man.

"Want to join us? He was just regaling us with his travels through Europe."

"At twenty-three I was hard pressed to stay still." Zolton agreed. "I found myself in a lot of tight situations and in the middle of no where with English as my only backup and most people I met didn't even speak that. At least not well."

"Sure, I'd love to hear some more." Andrew hooked a chair with his foot and made his space between her and Michelangelo.

The blond model leaned behind the muscular he man and caught Serena's eye, rolling his own. Serena tilted her head, not understanding what this was all about. She reached out and rested her hand on top of Andrew's. He squeezed her hand back and didn't let her go when she went to take it away. So instead she rotated it so their fingers could interlace and it stayed like that for the rest of the evening. Every so often he would raise her hand and kiss the back of it. Every time she would blush and the others would either ignore it or laugh about her reaction even after being married to him for so long.

"Come on, it's getting late, we should head back to our room." Andrew stood and still had her hand connected with his. She followed him to her feet. "Good night everyone, see you later."

"Goodnight." Serena spared them all a smile. "See you for lunch Michelangelo."

"Of course." Michelangelo agreed with a wink and everyone else coursed out a goodnight.

It was a long walk in silence before Andrew finally said something. "I don't know if its a great idea to be so chummy with Michelangelo. He's a bit of a flirt and a philanthropist. People might get the wrong idea if you spend too much time with him, especially alone."

Serena stared at Andrew for a long time, he was practically dragging her behind him and then she ripped her hand out from his. "Are you telling me who I can and can't be friends with? If you are, let me tell you something-"

"No!" Andrew spun and looped his arms around her. "I would never do something like that, not with our history!"

"Then what is it?" Serena asked a little hurt. "Are you... jealous?"

"I'm not saying you can't be friends with him, it's just, well it looks bad when you spend so much time alone with a man. More time than you spend with me. Someone might think that there's something going on between the two of you. Something that would put my job in jeopardy. You know-" He gave a half shrug kind of like he couldn't put it into words.

Serena sighed and leaned forward, her head resting on his chest. She'd already acted foolishly on her own desires and put his job on the line, she would have to do the opposite this time of what she wanted. She would have to withdraw on her friendship with Michelangelo. "I won't stop being friends with him." She warned Andrew.

"I would never ask that of you. It ruins lives, not just the bonds of friendship with that one person but would hurt us too." Andrew tilted her head up with his knuckles under her jaw. "I am not willing to do anything that will harm us."

"I'm not either, that's why tomorrow at lunch I will explain to him that we can't go on like we have. Though nothing's happened-" Serena clarified. "We're just friends. But I can understand your point. It looks weird for the newest employee to spend so much alone time with a man she barely knows. I will make sure it is more of a group outing from now on."

"That's all I ask." Andrew closed the gap and kissed her. She didn't think it entirely necessary but she supposed if anyone was watching, they'd see them in an embrace and be curious why they didn't kiss before parting. So she kissed him back. "Come on, it really is bedtime."

He took her hand again and lead her back to their rooms. Serena felt eyes on her and lifted her head just in time to see Darien stride off towards the parking lot. He had probably seen their entire interaction. Serena frowned lightly, she hadn't wanted to shove it down his throat as much as she seemed to be doing. But on the other hand, perhaps it was for the best, then he would finally believe it fully, that she was in love with this man.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

"Miss Serena! Miss Serena!" The girls practically attached themselves to her as soon as she stepped out of the office.

"What? What?" Serena asked with amusement. She has seen them once since the ski lessons and after asking for Michelangelo's advice, had decided to go for it. He hadn't been too pleased that she was taking this on but he acknowledged it would keep her skills sharp. He had offered his services and she accepted. He'd also accepted her limitations she'd put on their friendship. His words though were a bit biting and true, but she decided to ignore it.

"We wanted to show you the floor space. We'd asked and they'd agreed, so long as they could meet you first!"

"Where is it?" Serena asked and they led her away to where they'd be spending a lot of time in over the next few months. There was a woman out in the gardens, or what was left of them after another heavy dump of snow. She was attending to one of the trees.

"Excuse me-" Serena called out, not wanting to startle the woman but she was anyways. She fell off her short step ladder and into the bank of snow. Serena ran up to her side, terrorized by the idea that she caused someone injury, however unintentionally. "Are you all right?" She dropped to her knees and pushed away some of the soft white powder.

There was a glazed look in the woman's eyes as she slowly sat up. "Of course my dear." She brushed the snow out of her hair, fluffing it up. "I have fallen from greater heights and into something not quite as soft a dozen times already this year. I'm fine."

She had a soft, floaty voice and Serena couldn't help but smile. The woman was a thousand miles away but somehow managing to have a conversation in this world. Serena reached out to straighten a lock of aqua colored hair. "This is quite a lovely shade. It does your eyes wonders." Serena had seen enough unconventional things in her life that this seemed almost normal and so wasn't daunted by it at all.

The woman laughed and ran her fingers through the locks, bringing it forward to look at it herself, reminding herself what she had done. "Ah yes, well, it was done on a dare, if you can believe and since then I've never felt the need to return it to its usual mousy brown. I was always in awe of Lita's but I never had a shade quite like that."

"Who may I ask, dared you?" Serena rose to her feet, knocking the snow off her knees and lower legs.

"Hadley Brown." The aqua haired earth goddess responded and the smile that crossed her lips could be described as a bit dreamy. Serena had an answering one because she knew exactly what that look meant, even on someone not as easily readable as this woman. "She's such a prankster and cocky to boot! But she's got a good heart." The woman seemed to realize something and she jerked around to face Serena. "Oh dearest me, I have forgotten my manners. I have yet to introduce myself. I am Mona."

"No last name?" Serena teased but the woman shrugged in response.

"If I had one, then it is long since become so faded that its not even a memory."

"Miss Mona!" One of the girls interrupted, too excited to stand around. "We were telling Serena that you wanted to meet her so you could show her the space first."

"That's right. Serena, what a beautiful name. I was just out here freshening up the place when you distracted me." Serena thought she'd done a whole lot more than that, but Serena wisely kept her mouth shut, knowing this woman could be easily done in and there would be nothing done. "Right, the room, right this way." Mona turned on her toe and staggered her way to the door. "In the summer time I use this as my showroom but during the winter it sits empty. I hope it will do."

Serena found she came to a halt the second her eyes took in the space Mona was commenting on. It was beautiful. Not quite as impressive in scenery as the office that she shared with Darien, but it was nice in its own right. There were shimmering curtains on the walls of the most irredescent blues and greens, framing two rows of picturesque windows and on the far wall was a row of mirrors. The one that she came in through housed a door and more curtains to hide the concrete and plain wall beneath. It was like walking into a fantasy ocean. The floors were wood with a acid treatment making it a bubbling white and green she had never seen before but it was more than useable. "It's perfect." Serena whispered, already imagining all that she could do with this space, all that it could do for inspiration. "I'd like to use it. How much would you charge per day?"

"Per day? Lovely girl, it's free to use, call it charity for helping these girls out." Mona snagged one of the girls as she attempted to cross the threshold into the room. "This is my niece. I believe she'll have a wonderful future ahead of her if she just gets the right direction."

Serena's eyes turned to the girl in question and she was surprised to see the one that had spearheaded the whole thing. The one that had started them all on this path. Serena smiled at the girl. "Hotaru right?" The girl nodded, she was clearly a beautiful girl with interesting genealogy to create her unique features and name. "Well, I'm pleased to try and help you and your aunt in anyway I can."

"Your time is all that we need. Please allow us to pay you for it." Mona continued. "I know it is taking away from other work or free time."

"Really, honestly, I'm just glad to be working over here with you guys, it'll help me keep in touch with the world out there and while I have a lot of friends here, it's kind of boring and without direction when Andrew's gone for most of the day." Serena explained. "I'd love to be doing something I love to fill it in and you're already renting out this space for free. We'll consider it even." Serena turned to the room. "Now, do you have any bars we can use?"

"Of course." Mona turned and Hotaru went with her, they were looking for something they used during the summer time that would work well now. They came back with three bars. "Will this suffice? We usually use it to hang the planters on."

Serena walked up to it and gave it a little shake and the thing held steady. "I think it will be perfect."

"Good, now I shall leave you to it." Mona disappeared back out of the room and Serena turned to look at the girls, all their fresh faces looking up at her expectantly and with hope and excitement.

Serena squared her shoulders and grinned. "Now, let's get started."

–

Weeks passed almost with no change once a routine was set up. Whenever she was in the office she still somehow found a way to bicker with Darien over the most trivial things and then there would be complete silence between the two of them.

Serena managed to get a lot of work done with her budget and she was pleased by the outcome. She had worked a few days downstairs with Mina and Michelangelo and their three heads came up with some great events over the downward slope of sales and sales were picking up. Rei gushed to her about how great it was and Amy offered her approval as well. Even Darien grudgingly gave her some too. Though he was at the office less and less each day and when he was, tensions rose high, and Serena knew it was because he was right, there was an underlying current between the two of them. She felt sexually frustrated every time she saw him. Perhaps he was right to stay away. Maybe he'd even leave to go back to his other work now. She hoped he was satisfied that she wouldn't run off and get every man to have an orgy in her bed the second his back was turned.

There were times she saw him outside the office and he was with his sisters, secretly conversing in hushed tones and heads bowed together. He never seemed to be in a very good mood after those conversations. Perhaps they were putting him in his place or saying things he didn't want to hear.

Serena kept trying in the meantime to get a hold of Jace Dewitt and worked on Zolton and Amy breaking down boundaries but she wasn't getting anywhere. In either account. It seemed that when it came to the Shields, she was hit with one every time she made a step forward and bounced back with a landing harder and harder every time. She was even contemplating on giving up altogether.

When she wasn't at the office and frankly she wasn't that into it in the first place, her heart lied with her students, she was often in the studio. Even when she was in the office, her mind kept straying back and she wished she could be there. It was often coming up with new routines and new ways of encouraging and helping the students. She and Michelangelo got a lot of time to spend together again as he was often there before she arrived and left with her after all the students filed out. He swore that it was because he was a gentleman and could never get out of city mentality in terms of danger and females walking on their own.

Serena smiled, knowing the real reason he hung around. Nobody in this town understood him the way Serena did. She'd have to find a way to set him up with Molly when she got back to Florida. Those two would be perfect for each other.

Andrew stopped in on occasion once Serena told him what was going on and he offered his skills as well. Michelangelo was there the first time and they had a small chat. They didn't seem to like each other much more than they had before it, but they gave each other a respectful distance. Though Michelangelo didn't seem to dislike Andrew, it was all one sided.

When she and Andrew were real young they used to be in plays all the time. It was generally not awkward but when Lizzy was also in them it got a little odd when they were paired up as a couple. Andrew got real good at giving misdirected kisses with his sister, his lips nowhere near hers, only looking like it from afar. It was lucky that it didn't happen too often, only when Seth was in the plays and only when they were big name plays. Otherwise the leads always went to Andrew and Serena and the kisses were a bit more spot on, though never were real or meant anything. Seth had tried his luck a few times and had always gotten turned down when he'd asked for a date after a wrap-up.

Serena knew he only wanted to be in those plays because he knew that he'd have an opportunity to kiss her and since he was a phenomenal actor, he was always given the lead without an audition. Though Serena couldn't sneeze at that too much, she never had to audition in school either. It made it that much harder the first time she'd been turned down for a job in the real world, but she was good and she learned fast. The rest of the time, Seth couldn't be bothered if he wasn't going to have a filled out show or be guaranteed a chance to smooch with Serena.

When the plays started getting a bit less PG as they moved up in grades and could deal with heavier stuff, were expected of it, Serena started asking for secondary roles just so she wouldn't have to deal with Seth or claiming she was too busy for the big shows. Which after a few terms, was true. She had a lot on her plate those years and it only got harder as she grew up.

It took a lot of time and it was only after they'd spent time apart and were out of secondary school that the relationship between her and Andrew took on a new layer, became something other than purely platonic. Before that Serena had never felt anything for him, never felt anything but one hundred percent protected and at ease with the slightly older, almost brother-like figure. Afterwards... well that had taken some getting used to and time, but it was so very close to all being ripped away from her and balanced so precariously. She still wasn't sure it was real half the time, having almost lost him for good.

Throughout the practices Andrew kept stealing kisses from her and she laughed at how playful he was. She enjoyed this side of him and perched on his knee for awhile. Michelangelo was caught a few times by her roving eye giving her a disapproving look but she gave him a look back then ignored him. She was far more interested in watching her students.

Then one day they conned her into doing something else, they were tired of practicing and wanted to teach her something in return.

"I've been ice skating before." She tried to warn them that she wasn't so tipsy on her feet with blades attached as they seemed to think she would be. They still called her the Florida girl behind her back, as if she had never lived anywhere else in her life, had never seen snow before. She kept trying to correct everybody but her tan was only slowly fading and since she _was_ part Native American, she'd always be tanner than a lot of these people. Andrew was off on the hills doing his trips down and around to make sure everyone was all right. Michelangelo had other business to attend to today, the one he was actually hired on to do, meaning both Mina and Michelangelo were out of the shop and somewhere else. Darien was... well he was somewhere. She hadn't seen him in the office when she dropped her stuff off and had been ambushed by all these young girls.

"Yes, but you haven't been ice skating like we know how to do. You know the water, we know the ice." Hotaru went and did a spin in the middle of the lake. It was a beautiful spin and she controlled the stop. "Unlike dancing, spins on the ice don't have spotting. You'll get too dizzy otherwise."

"Ooh, show me that. It was so cool!" Serena was suddenly a hundred times more excited, she hadn't done tricks since she was their age.

"First see all the other things we have to show you." One by one each girl did a different trick or spin and each one was so different from the other.

"We can also play hockey!"

Serena grinned, she'd love to learn all these things. So far she was only a little rusty on some of the basic fancy steps she had learned, meaning not all that fancy, but more so than the skate forward, which she mastered by far and a little more unsure with her backwards skate. Especially going from one to the other.

The girls split off into two groups and one group worked on their own with the most complicated routines while the others, not quite as old or experienced worked with her on the next level up from where she was. She was looking down at her feet when she heard a loud crack.

Serena's head snapped up and around towards the other group when she noticed one dark head was missing and the other girls were screaming. "Get back!" Serena shouted, skating forward and pulling a few back by their jackets away from the hole that had formed. She shouted it again and all the remaining girls skated backwards away from the ice hole. Serena flopped down onto her belly looking down for the girl who was missing. "Hotaru!" She screamed throwing her arms into the icy depths, hoping that Hotaru had just surfaced somewhere else and was having trouble getting back, well within reach though. Nobody grabbed her hands and she sat up and swung her legs around, unlacing her boots quickly through fast numbing fingers, slippery now that they were wet and throwing off her jacket and gloves. They'd just slow her down and make her heavier. She stripped to her jeans and light shirt, knowing that there wasn't time to get rid of any more and she dove into the water.

It was a shock to her system at first and it took her a moment to get her arms working properly again, and a few seconds later to get her lungs to unfurl from the sudden squeeze restricting her heart beat. It was colder than she thought it would be and by far the coldest water she'd ever been in. It was barely above freezing, even below the ice layer. She snapped her eyes open and looked for the girl. If she was having this much trouble, she didn't even want to think about Hotaru's own problems.

Serena resurfaced for a moment to catch another breath before plunging back into the icy depths and started her search for the girl along the bottom. That's when she saw the little legs above her, swing madly back and forth. Hotaru had found an air bubble and was struggling to stay afloat as her limbs were slowing down. Serena was used to this and worse conditions and had been well trained and conditioned and she was having troubles too. Serena surfaced beside her and took a breath, locking eyes with the panicked ones of the girl and trying to reassure her, make her more confident and secure in Serena. "We have to go back, you need to come with me." She spoke in as measured of words as she could, and it took a bit of effort getting her to follow Serena back to where they needed to go before she lost her way back to their only escape, but Hotaru did.

She could see feet above them and someone was rubbing away at the snow and frost but they had to move, they couldn't stay there and hope another hole was formed in time. She grabbed the back of Hotaru's jacket and together they took another deep breath before going below the surface one more time. The skates were slowing Hotaru down and worried Serena, one nick and they could be suffering from worse than hypothermia.

Serena went towards the surface where she thought the ice hole was and encountered more ice blocking their way. She pressed against it, but it didn't budge, not even with the cracks. She slid her hands across the cold surface and rough texture until she found a crease. Already ice was forming back over where Hotaru and her had gone and they needed to break it if they were going to get out. Serena hauled Hotaru closer and pushed with her free arm. Hotaru reached up but she wasn't any help. The thin layer of ice held. Serena pounded against it and then saw a shadow over them, then the ice was shattering around them and first Hotaru was hauled out as Serena pushed her forward. Then hands were under her armpits and dragging her along the surface of the ice. All three of them were laying down and slowly inching their way away from the hole. The ice could give under them at any moment if they didn't evenly distribute their weight.

Finally they were back to the snow bank where the remaining girls all stood chattering with both cold and worried excitement. Hotaru was pulled into waiting arms to be wrapped up in a blanket and Mona was there almost instantly to take the girl into a hug. Serena finally looked to their rescuer and saw Darien looking at her with something akin to blazing anger. It was a look she was growing used to, but not the worry that was spearheading it. She was wrapped up into a blanket and he scooped her up into his arms. "What an idiot you are!" He hissed as he strode with long powerful strides towards the lodge. Mona had Hotaru and followed them. "What the devil were you thinking, going in after her? You're not accustomed to this kind of cold, you could have died under there!"

"I'm a strong swimmer." Serena protested but her body was shaking so hard she wasn't sure if her voice could be heard over her jaw clanking shut so loudly and painfully. If she talked too much she would be in serious risk of chopping her tongue off because of it.

"No matter how strong you are, you couldn't have accounted for the temperature." Darien set her down onto the lodge couch and rubbed her arms fiercely, he was in very dangerous grounds between chaffing and helping. "You should have waited. What were you thinking taking all your clothes off to do this?"

"Thinking that they'd just get in my way and wouldn't help against the cold at all, so might as well get rid of them." Serena wanted to ask how he got there so quickly, how he was the one to arrive on the scene but knew that asking questions would only inspire ones back, ones she couldn't answer, she had acted on instinct.

"Some of the girls called Mona, some called the lodge and others called the police. Thank god I was there in the restaurant and was looking out over the grounds when I saw your impromptu strip. I thought it was very odd until I noticed that the other girls were agitated and then saw you dive into the ice. I thought you'd gone mad and I was right, but for different reasons. You could have gotten yourself killed!"

"It would have solved all your problems." Serena muttered, slowly, slowly feeling better.

The look he sent her in return for her comment rid her off all that progress as it chilled her to the bone. "Never, ever say something like that. You know very well that I would never wish that sort of thing. Don't even joke about it."

It was nice to know he cared. At least enough to not want a death on his lands. Mona sat Hotaru in front of the fire and after making sure the girl was all right, shoving hot coco into her hands, she turned to Serena and threw herself around the blond. "Thank you so much, you saved my niece's life."

"Actually, Darien did-"

"Nonsense, I was just there to help at the end." Darien cut her off, giving the credit back to her. "You were the one that risked life and limb in a brainless rescue attempt. Despite how stupid it was, you probably saved her life."

Mona was nodding. "So anything I can do to make it up to you, don't ever hesitate to ask. You ask it and I will be there to return the favor. There isn't anything that I can do that could ever compare to this."

Serena blushed and was surprised her blood was flowing enough for that. "Please don't make such a big deal about this. I'm no hero, just a girl in the right place and right time doing something that anyone would have."

"Not anyone, just someone special." Mona gave Serena another hug and then went back to Hotaru.

"What were you doing out there with those girls?" Darien questioned after a moment of silence and then handing her a glass of something warm and laced with alcohol. "It'll help."

Serena sipped at it and it did warm her up so she took another big gulp. "We've become friends, they wanted me out there with them. I'm not teaching them all how to become hussies if that's what you're afraid of."

"Serena-" His voice caught and then he shook his head. "Believe me when I say I'm done thinking that about you. I've come to accept that I was your only folly into that realm and I'm willing to accept that you view it as a mistake. And it was. You're happily married to Andrew and what happened between us was what it was. I can't think of you as a girl that would do something to jeopardize your marriage like that, not anymore. I was angry at first and it took awhile to see clearly. I am sorry for saying those things to you and not believing you. So please stop putting yourself down like that." He was frowning again. "Though I'm not sure why you told me a lie about not being married, that part doesn't sit right."

"Look-"

"It's over and in the past, I accept that." His hand reached out and stroked a blond hair back behind her ear. "I-We almost all lost you today. That's what's more important. We'll just move forward from here."

Serena was touched by his generosity and she nodded. "I'd like that." Her hand reached up and covered his but he jumped.

"You're freezing still!" Darien went to find her gloves and pocket warmers for her hands and slid them onto her before she could protest. "Let me get you socks and- well actually you should go take a warm shower and change and then sit in front of a fire." He didn't say this fire, he meant any fire and she couldn't help but think he meant her own, away from the rest of them, especially him.

Serena nodded and rose to her feet, she was pretty sure she could make it back to her room by now. Mona was packing Hotaru up so she could take her home and put her into a nice warm bed for the rest of the evening, maybe TV and some popcorn and hot drinks.

"Bye Serena!" Hotaru called out across the room. "See you tomorrow, and thank you!"

"No problem sweet pea." Serena called back as the two left the lodge.

She turned to leave but Darien was in front of her. "I'm offering my carrying services." He explained at her surprised look and he grinned at her lopsided, clearly the motion was in effect.

Serena was just about to accept when there was commotion and Andrew busted it, still in his ski gear and he swung her around so he could get a good look at her. "Are you all right? I heard you went under-"

"I'm fine, it was controlled." Serena calmed. "I was going after Hotaru. She was surprised by it and so little. I feared she would have sank to the bottom."

"My brave little sprite." Andrew sighed in relief and wrapped her up into his large arms. "I'm so glad you're all right. Let's go back to the room and I'll make sure to take care of you."

And he did, he carried her back and after her shower, which she insisted she do alone, despite his worry, she got dressed in her warmest lounge wear and let him coddle her the rest of the evening and well into the night.

The next day she was under strict orders by Andrew _and_ Zolton not to go outside and to take it easy. She was still recovering, though she felt fine, and might still be in shock, though she didn't think so. But she listened, she didn't mind a day off, teaching was harder work than she had thought. But she pushed Andrew out, he had a job to do and he couldn't keep taking time off because of her, they might fire him for not working otherwise. Besides, she was fine and could take care of herself.

She found herself in the main area and sank down into a chaise lounge near the fire, it was so warm with the blanket that Raye brought out for her that she fell into a light doze.

When she opened her eyes again it was because something interrupted her sleep. She opened them to spy Amy sitting at her feet. "What's up?" She asked with a sleepy smile.

"Wondering if you'd like company? I've got some time, but if you'd rather sleep, perhaps you'd be more comfortable in your room?" It wasn't like Amy was kicking her out, it was genuine concern and an honest suggestion, and she probably would be more comfortable sleeping on a bed. They wanted people to feel as comfortable as if they were at home but with strangers who would no longer be so unknown by the end of the trip, if they ever left.

"I'd like that. I think I was bored and so I fell asleep, not to mention warm." Serena dropped the blanket onto her lap and was going to push it off when Amy stilled her hand.

"Don't, you still feel a little chilled. Are you sure you're all right?"

"I feel fine, perhaps its just one of those things." Serena shrugged, not concerned that her hands felt cold on the outside, they felt fine to her on the inside.

But as Amy instructed, she didn't remove the blanket entirely and the day passed fairly quickly as the two girls chatted and laughed. Serena didn't remember a time when the genius girl was more approachable and she relished every moment.

Some time later Michelangelo came in to visit, having heard of her near miss and sat next to her on the lounge rubbing her hands between his after noticing the same thing. Amy beat a hasty retreat as Zolton came in with Darien. Serena shook her head with amazement at how odd Amy could be sometimes and how shy she really was about the male she secretly liked. If she didn't act soon, Zolton would be gone onto the next town he deemed worthy to spend time at and Amy would have missed out, even if it were only for a short while.

Darien checked her forehead but said nothing as he sank down into a chair a little ways away and at Michelangelo's suggestion, Zolton checked her again. "You're fine, better than Hotaru at any rate. She's out with a fever, but it should be fine by the weekend. She's milking it though, getting out of classes." Zolton smiled as he shook his head. "Kids. I loved school."

"You and Amy both." Darien commented with a laugh. "I could never get her to join me outside unless she could be doing her homework at the same time."

"I've heard that you liked your school work too."

"That's because I got to spend it in the gym or with all females." Darien grinned roguishly. "Who knew interior design wasn't all wall building and spacial arrangements?"

Michelangelo laughed and he turned slightly to include the others. "Or that cooking class actually included cooking with food and that dance was highly dominated by the females."

"Ah, you got me there." Darien ran a hand through his black locks and Serena wished it were her hand. "I never got a chance to take dance. We never had anyone to teach it. Still don't, I'm afraid. I feel bad for all these generations of students who don't get to see the fine arts."

"Didn't they have a teacher for awhile?"

"A short stint, but nobody who stays."

Michelangelo gave Serena a look that shut her up, and whatever she was thinking. He was right, she didn't want to stick around here if she didn't have to. She was leaving as soon as the season ended and she'd catch a ride with him back to the airport. Perhaps even back to the city. The look they shared wasn't missed by one pair of keen eyes and a questioning look entered them, wondering what they were silently discussing. "It's too bad." Michelangelo said instead. "It would be good to teach students long enough to get one interested enough to come back and pass on the learning to future generations and keep the cycle going down the road. Has anyone tried sending out applications?"

"Nobody wants to come to Pony for a teaching job, there's no opportunities here to further their careers while they teach." Darien sighed and leaned back. "It's a wonder we get top of the line doctors. How could I dream of making this town a center for the arts?"

"No art teachers either?" Serena asked surprised. "How sad."

"That's Pony, for you. Nothing but skiing and straight education. And all of that is dependent on the weather." Darien commented.

"Hey, speaking of which, do I need to supply you any more pain pills?" Zolton questioned breaking into the conversation. "I know you were complaining about your abs again-"

"No, it's fine. They haven't hurt in weeks." Serena responded quickly as two male pairs of eyes looked at her in concern and varying forms of questions.

"And really Zolt, how is that anything about what we were just discussing? Unless you think pain pills are a class that is breached in straight school subjects."

"I really wish you'd stop saying straight school." Serena groaned lowering her head onto her folded arms. "That sounds pretty messed up."

"All right, basic classes then." But he was amused and Serena tried to halt the smile that rose in response and she looked away. Unfortunately then she saw Michelangelo's smirk tossed in her direction.

"No, by the way, it isn't something I would think is covered in classes, but I thought, considering what you've been doing in your free time-"

"Zolton, really, I'm fine." Serena didn't want Darien knowing anything. He'd only end up judging her and telling her to stay away from the young minds. Who knew how she could infect them.

Zolton nodded and sat back. The conversation after that was pretty stilted and it was just because Serena and Michelangelo avoided Darien's questioning into what _she_ was up to. Zolton kind of tuned out when it was no longer about medical stuff or rather the topics they touched upon didn't interest him enough to have anything to add to it. They wanted to include him so they kept trying to find new things to talk about but eventually they all just kind of died out to silence. Serena sat back against the couch and Michelangelo wrapped an arm around her shoulders and joined her. All four of them stared into the fire, slowly zoning out.

It was there that Andrew found them. "Serena, my love, that's where you've taken yourself off to." He reached down and plucked her up and away from Michelangelo. "Lita's set us up with a nice meal, I've brought it back down to the room. Are you hungry?"

Serena struggled to be put back on her feet and took up the blanket she had wrapped herself in. "Sure, I could eat. Is it only enough for the two of us?"

"I'm afraid so." Andrew nodded, his eyes sliding away from her and onto Michelangelo. "So unfortunately your new BFF can't join us."

"That's all right, Mina and I were going to hook up with Raye, Amy and Darien for dinner. Would you like to join us, Zolton?" He turned to the odd man out and was responded to with a half shrug but Serena could see that his eyes had perked up with the thought of dining with them.

"Sure, sounds good."

"Oh, wait, Sere, before you go, Mina wanted me to remind you that we're having Thanksgiving out at Darien's Ranch this year. So start planning your outfit. It's semi-dressy."

"Hey!" Darien's voice suddenly shot out. "I wasn't consulted with this decision."

"Too bad, Amy and Raye volunteered the place for you." Michelangelo teased. "And you know Mina, once she's got her teeth into something..."

"Fine." Darien grumbled and accepted it rather quicker than Serena though he would. She didn't think he would take it lying down so easily, but then again when confronted with those three females, Serena didn't think anyone could win, so it was easier to give in first.

"Come on." Andrew prodded Serena along and they waved goodbye to the men still in the room.

"What's the special occasion?" Serena asked as they walked down the hall.

"Oh, nothing much, but I thought it would be nice if you get a bit of special treatment for being my little hero."

Serena laughed. "I'm really not."

But it was nice just to spend time alone with Andrew it was too rare these days and it was like they were reconnecting all over again.

Serena couldn't believe that in a few days it would be Thanksgiving. The days leading up to it were nice. Andrew and her spent a lot of time together and alone. She hadn't realized that she missed him as much as she had over these last few weeks. There was an ease that had always been and they were always the best of friends, that had never been their problem. She found herself reaching for his hand whenever she needed a hand to hold. His were the arms she loved being in whenever there was a slight chill. Andrew was great to be around and not one moment of any day they spent together had she wished to be anywhere else. When she thought of Andrew, she couldn't help but smile.

She had nothing to do for the website that couldn't be done later, and so went into the office less and less but it was sitting empty a lot of times anyway. Darien had to go prepare his ranch home for unexpected guests.

Andrew came home early one day and surprised her by cooking up a wonderful meal. There were candles on the table when she walked in, setting a comfortable mood and wine chilling in a bucket. "Is there a special occasion?"

"It's our anniversary." Andrew reminded her and she thought hard about that and counted out the days. She had never realized that it happened only a few days before Thanksgiving. But then again Thanksgiving changed dates slightly every year.

"Oh." Serena said dumbly, trying to remember how many years it was.

"It's ok. I know that it was a little rocky and there won't be any gifts exchanged." Andrew tossed her a grin and Serena shook her head amused and relieved. "Go ahead and start in on the wine. I have a few bottles." Andrew laughed when he saw her face. "Don't play innocent with me, I know you can put away one all by yourself."

Serena laughed again and poured herself a healthy dose of wine. "Would you like a glass?"

"Not yet." Andrew turned back to the cooking and normally she'd offer to help, but she was kind of pleased to be waited on right now. Even if it was a bit of a lackluster anniversary. Really though she should have been the one doing everything, he would need her because of this, but he seemed in good enough spirits right now that she didn't bring it up.

She winced as she realized she finished off an entire bottle on her own. She opened and put the second one in the ice bucket before Andrew finished cooking. "It's fine." Andrew teased. "It'll be plenty chilled by the time I'm done, and it is almost done." He reassured her when her stomach growled. "I'll take a glass now."

"But-"

"The fridge did keep it somewhat chilled."

Serena had to agree and she poured him a glass and handed it over. He caught her hand and pulled her close, looping his arms around her for a moment and just holding her. She was comfortable and mellow and completely relaxed so she leaned forward and rested her head on his chest. They stood like that for a long time, swaying slightly and she was positive it was his doing, not hers. Wine didn't affect her and it certainly didn't affect her so quickly. Andrew dropped a quick kiss onto her head and then set her aside so he could work on the food again.

"There, ready. Go sit."

Serena could do that, at least if she was tasked with the smaller things, she couldn't burn down the kitchen by trying to boil water. She sat and he presented her with a plate full of pasta, but yummy looking pasta at that. Andrew reached out and laced their fingers and throughout of dinner their hands remained that way.

Biting into the first pasta she managed to spear with her fork she groaned in pleasure. "It is sooo good Andy. Where on Earth did you learn to cook like this? I remember coming over one day and seeing you in the kitchen putting the finishing touches on the food. I had always thought your mom or Lizzy did the cooking until then. Honestly its like you're a magic man, everything you touch is fantastic."

"I do aim to please." He topped off both their glasses and then took a sip from his glass. "I'm glad you're enjoying it."

Their conversation was light and amusing and Serena couldn't remember a meal in recent past that she enjoyed more. Then he surprised her with a movie that she had been dying to see but hadn't anyone to watch it with. He sent her off to put it in while he put the dishes in the washer and brought over their wine. He sat next to her and she curled into his side.

The movie was a very strange mixture of romance and thriller. So when ever she jumped she buried her head into his chest or when there was a sweet moment she sighed with him. At the end of it, somehow she had found herself into his arms and was practically sitting on his lap. She laughed a little nervously. "Sorry." She tried to untangle herself from his embrace but he held her closer, refusing to let her go. "Drew-"

"No, stay." He lowered his head and his lips covered hers. She melted a little at the connection and she held onto his shoulders, but she shook her head and moved back slightly.

"Drew I know that today-"

"It has nothing to do with today."

"But we're alone, nobody is watching us."

"I don't care about that. We've been great together these last few months. We've always been great." Andrew started pressing kisses along her jaw and she moaned a little, he was very good with his mouth. She gasped a little as his hand found her breast. Make that good with his mouth _and_ hands. His mouth covered hers. "I think we'd be good together, oh so good-"

Serena almost believed him, they had history, so much history together and it was easy with him. Whatever their problems in the past, their lives had always been easy. Serena shook her head, releasing her lips from his. "No, Drew." She caught his hand and stilled it. "Not now, not like this. We don't want to ruin what we've had-"

"You want to go slower." He sighed and folded her against his chest. "I understand. You want me to be completely ready for this before I take us to a further step when we're not there yet." He dropped a kiss on her forehead and because she was confused she didn't correct him. Maybe, some day, but it was still early days yet and he had so much on his plate right now... They were just reconnecting again and she didn't think introducing this aspect to their relationship would help at the moment. Or it would solve a lot of problems. Whatever the solution, she didn't want to risk what they'd built together on a whim and there was no taking it back. "I understand and I'll see you to your bed, alone." He rose and he carried her over to her room. He set her down onto her feet and with a last, regretful kiss, he let her go and shut the door behind him.

Serena sank onto the edge of the bed and buried her head into her hands. Where had things gone so wrong?

* * *

EAN: Personally, one of my favorite chapters of this fic. Serena gets to be the badass hero of the day! Yay!


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Over the next couple of days leading up to Thanksgiving Serena couldn't be sure if Andrew was avoiding her or if she was avoiding him or if they were just both caught up in work. She hadn't seen him pretty much since that night. A few times she'd be in her room awake when he came in but she didn't go out to see him or if she did he'd already be in his room and she didn't want to disturb him. At any rate he didn't come knocking on her door either.

Then it was Thanksgiving and she donned a brown and purple high waist plaid skirt with a white blouse and semi-country leather boots. They were pretty thickly lined and were even a little too warm while she was indoors. She almost rethought the boots. They weren't very dressy but Mina had said it was only semi-dressy and she thought she was appropriately attired.

Walking out of her room with all the last minute touches finished she thought she was right when she looked at how Andrew was dressed. Nice jeans and a silk button up white shirt and cowboy boots. She thought they looked like a nice match and very much the couple that they were supposed to be. "Ah, see, mind readers, the pair of us." Andrew teased and twirled her around. "A match made in heaven."

She rolled her eyes but she couldn't help the grin. "Don't you know it." With a glance around him she caught the numbers on the clock. "Shouldn't we be going?"

"Yeah, I'm going to be driving the truck. Let me just grab my dinner coat." It was a dark brown that reflected itself in her skirt and he just kept adding more and more that went well together. Not that she expected him to show up in a red shirt anyway. And on the way out the door they each grabbed their heavier winter coats that still looked nice.

Serena was looking forward to a meal and nice company. She'd helped picked out Amy's outfit, taking her out of the severe and box cut dresses to show off her figure and femininity a bit more. Their conversation had gone something like this: "I think you should wear this one." Serena pulled out one of her green dresses that would show off Amy's coloring nicely. Serena always thought green and blue went well together, just like black and green. The style was going to show off Amy's neat hips and tiny waist but Amy was looking at it as if someone had shown her a horror scene.

"No way." Amy pushed it back into Serena's hands. "First of all, its your dress and I'd never do it justice. Secondly, why do I want to change my style?"

"For Zolton." Serena just came right out and said it. Really everyone else kept dancing around the issue.

"If Zolton liked me he would say something and I wouldn't need to change my style to catch his attention." Amy was pretty adamant about this.

"No, he likes you and your style, but sometimes men need a little prompting, something they can open with for a conversation. Sometime men need to be pushed into opening their eyes. He already likes you, but he doesn't think you do, but if you give him something to comment about, on a surface level, it will give him an in to tell you how pretty he thinks you are every day." Serena pushed the dress back at Amy. "Trust me."

Amy was looking at the dress, running her fingers over the smooth fabric. "I don't know Serena. What makes you think I like Zolton?"

"I know these things." Serena pushed just a bit more.

Amy sighed and took the dress. "I'll think about it. But I probably won't wear it. I already have something picked out." Amy was technically smaller than Serena, but the dress was like magic, it would fit her well.

"I'll leave it with you, in case you chose to do so." Before she left, Amy threw her arms around Serena in a hug and only slightly surprised, Serena returned the hug.

She only hoped Amy took her advice. She would see once they got to the party. The Shield sisters had left for his house while it was still daylight. Probably a good thing too as it had started snowing just as she was closing up the studio. Hotaru had been back and it had been a very good day all around.

The drive to Darien's ranch was shorter than she remembered, probably with ease of familiarity and chains. But it was still passed with an ease she had missed over the last few days. In this drive she was reassured that nothing was amiss with her relationship with Andrew. All was right in their world and through the drive they held hands.

That made her happy and it was easy to deal with whatever the night would bring her.

Dinner was great, drinks were passed all around and she didn't remember so much laughter at a table for Thanksgiving in so many years. Not since her high school days. This night more than at any other time made her realize how much everybody loved and truly trusted one another, how much they cared and respected each other. Serena felt honored to be a part of that, even if it was only for a year. Then she would return to her usual Thanksgiving traditions. Spending the day before with her coworkers, whoever they may be at the time and then the next dining with Molly in one of their homes.

After dinner there were stories and music and singing and drinks, and lot and lots of drinks. There were games and riddles and jokes and teases. Then a song came on and Andrew appeared in front of Serena but he addressed the rest of the room. "Now, not all of you may know this, but when Serena and I were younger we used to dance all the time. Our moms forced us into it. We could never agree on a style or a dance we loved, except this one. Come on Serena, let's show them something."

Serena thought it strangely fitting, this song that they danced to when they were merely children was the one that they continued dancing to as adults and it still perfectly described their relationship. It was fun and quirky and while it was nothing too serious it was something only the best of friends could accomplish as it relied heavily on trust. And there were a few moments of something more, something strangely deceptive to the viewers and could even confuse those dancing. And Serena loved it. It had pretty intricate footwork and a lot of uptempo beats and jumps and even a few lifts.

Serena and Andrew collapsed onto the couch together laughing and spent after it. Michelangelo was the first to applause them and he rose to his feet. "Very nice you two, but that has inspired me to try and challenge Serena. If you accept of course."

Giving him a very suspicious but highly amused look, Serena took his proffered hand and he pulled her to her feet. "What are you doing?" She asked him when they were brushing up against one another.

"Showing everyone what a real gem you are and how they should be feeling lucky to have you." Michelangelo whispered into her ear. "Are you ready for this?"

"You lead, and you know I'll follow."

Michelangelo scrolled through the iPod and found the song he was looking for. He didn't reclaim his spot next to Serena and as she listened to the first introductory notes she cast him a bemused look, of course he chose this one. She knew this dance and could do it justice. But it was a show stopper and would certainly cause a few eyebrow raises.

The beginning was slow and played as if a violin cord was stretched to its limit. Serena held still for most of the note and then when it slowly began to change, she started to rotate at the waist, bending over until her back was almost perpendicular to the floor. Then she swept it around as if she was not actually attached to her lower half. The music snapped at the exact moment she stood perfectly erect with her arms out to her sides in a typical aggressive tango pose.

The music instantly picked up with short beats and staccato notes. Her feet were flying as she hit every one perfectly. It was fancy, fancy foot work. All the time Michelangelo held perfectly still. This part was to showcase her, in true Latin form.

Then when the music changed again, a bit more seductive and very aggressive, Michelangelo came forward and dragged her into his arms. She fought against him as the music depicted, what their musical souls knew about it and their training cemented, but in the end, he was the conqueror as he followed her around the small space they had created, pulling her back every time she made a move away and then it slowed again and Serena turned to him as if realizing she could not win, she slid up his body as if she was giving in. His hands lowered and his power faltered and then the music made one last crescendo and she was off her feet, they hung perfectly straight down but a lot of her upper half was over his shoulder and one arm was out straight across them at the level of their face, his head turned away and he was perfectly still. In the end, she had won, but only in creating his death could she be free.

The music had ripped to a halt but the track left room for silence and not a person moved a muscle that had been watching. It was completely different than Serena and Michelangelo's real relationship, so completely different than their personalities that everyone was drawn into their story-telling that it seemed so real and it had been so powerful. Not a word was spoken and then the moment was ruined as a country song touting about lost love came across the speakers.

Still it was with slowness and eerie silence that people began moving again as if they were still affected and could not get over it. Serena was slowly lowered down to her feet and Michelangelo gave her a wink, they'd pulled it off flawlessly. Serena rolled her eyes at the man, how he'd learned to dance like that... probably in his heaps of spare time. The music was turned down low as people slowly regained their senses again. "That was... wow." Raye managed to say, forcing herself to her feet and coming to them. She still had several more months to go but her pregnancy was already slowing her down. "Where did you learn to do that?"

"I er... I was a dancer for a long time. It got kind of sidetracked when I entered college." Serena admitted. "But that was a very popular dance when I was pursuing it in earnest."

Michelangelo smirked but he nodded. "I don't hide the fact that I'm amazing, at everything."

There were some eye rolls but people couldn't help but agree with his statement after that. "Man alive, Serena, that was awesome, I didn't know you had it in you. We should have had you on the events comity if you could pull in things like that. I bet a lot of people would love to learn to do that. So sexy, I'm betting Andrew's just sooo jealous!"

Serena couldn't help but be amused by Mina's never ending sentences. "I don't know, I mean its just dance."

Andrew hadn't said anything, he was just staring at her as if he had never seen her before and then he came over and wrapped her up into a big hug. "I never knew you were so... phenomenal. I mean you were always great in high school but they never let you shine like you did tonight." There was something in his tone, a secret message just for her and she felt her heart tug. There had been too many things going wrong over the last few years and they'd done it to each other.

She buried her head into his chest for a second, apologizes and acceptances coming from both of them and then pulled back. "That's true enough." She agreed, trying to be bright. "I had lessons though outside of school and I learned it there. Thank you though, your words mean a lot to me."

"Of course, I'd support you into the raging fires of hell." Andrew gave her a short kiss and then was interrupted by Mina.

"Oh, Andrew! I keep looking for you, but we somehow keep missing each other. We never really had a chance to talk much after that first day we all met. I can't believe its been so long since we last spoke. That's completely unlike me. We really must catch up and get to know each other better!" She held out her hand and Andrew barely tore his eyes away from Serena to give Mina a half interested look, but once he did he was fully engrossed in her conversation. Mina had a way of doing that to a person.

Serena slipped away to go talk to Amy. She was pleased to see the wrap dress suited her curves well and created a bit more that hadn't been there before. Amy seemed a little awkward in a dress that was so feminine but at the same time she seemed to be enjoying it, as if she was getting more attention. The two of them had barely spoken a few words when Zolton came over. "I hadn't a chance to say this to you all night, Amy, but you look lovely in that dress, but I can't help but think your usual flair suits you much better."

"Thank you?"

"You have such a good fashion sense usually, but this doesn't seem like a typical Amy dress, not that I think you shouldn't branch out try new things, but your usual style is impeccable. I don't think you can improve upon what you already had." Amy smiled her thanks at Zolton and her eyes flickered over to Serena, giving her a thumbs up look, Serena had been right.

Serena almost blushed to her roots when she realized this constituted flirting between the two of them and she slipped away to go find another small group to chat with. Her eyes scanned around the room of employees all were there, but someone, someone was missing. She frowned and looked again and its obviousness hit her in the gut, Darien had left the room, but when? And why? She felt guilty if she made him uncomfortable or upset in anyway in his own home. He shouldn't have to leave because of her, if that was the problem.

She needed to find him and make matters better. This wasn't what she had set out to do and so she wandered off looking for him. Nobody seemed to notice that she had disappeared as she kept wandering halls and not finding anyone. Then she opened a door near the back and walked into a very darkly wooded room. She could have spent a long time in here browsing the woodwork when she realized she wasn't alone. Darien looked up from the desk at her and he frowned.

"What are you doing in here?"

"Looking for you, actually." Serena admitted and shut the door behind her.

"Why?" He demanded.

"Well, to apologize if I stepped out of line. I didn't mean to and it hadn't been my intention to dance that song."

"You think I'm upset with you for dancing with Michelangelo?" He laughed and rubbed the back of his head. "I really must have done a number, made you think I was this terrible ogre." He hesitated and then shook his head. "Well, with you, I guess I sometimes am. I can't help it."

"So why'd you run off on Thanksgiving night? And don't tell me it was to do some work. That could have waited until morning."

"No, and don't worry about Michelangelo. He dances with all the new female employees at some point, though not as showy as the two of you were." Darien pushed himself to his feet. "To be honest, I ran off because it was hard watching you. It made me think that the story was actually about us and what you said the other day, about how I kept kissing you even though you're married. You haven't done anything but prove that you don't want me and only have eyes for Andrew, so I was feeling a bit wretched. I guess anger and remembered passion clouded my behavior towards you. I wanted to honor the promise I gave you the other day, but if I stayed in there a moment longer I would have broken it and quite publicly as well." He moved to rest against the back of his desk, closer to her but still several feet away.

Serena came forward confused. "So you're not upset with me? The only reason you came back here was because you were filled with desire to kiss me in front of all those people?"

"Is it so hard to believe? You're a very attractive woman and you dance like a vixen or an angel, depending on what you feel like doing at the moment."

She found she was right in front of him, not sure how she got there, but was always so drawn to him that it was only natural to find herself in this position. "And do you still feel that way?" She knew she was playing with fire for even daring to ask.

Darien held her gaze for a long moment and then looked away. "It's better I don't answer that, for both our sakes."

Serena gave a short bob of her head. "Well then, the best way to conquer the problem is to put it to rest. Get back out there and mingle. No defense like the defense of many people." She took his wrist in her hand and tried to tug him back to the party. As soon as her skin touched his though, she knew there was a problem. "I'm sorry I came in search of you."

She tried to let him go and disappear out the way she came but he spun her around and she was inches from him, looking up into his eyes, could feel herself moving closer trying to see into their depths, and the next thing she knew, _she _was kissing him. There was only the barest moment of resistance before he was returning it in full fledged fire. He lifted her into his arms and turned, she felt her back hit a wall, and she vaguely realized it was the door as the handle pressed into her back.

She wasn't sure how it happened or why but soon she was falling over an edge of ecstasy and he had his head buried into her shoulder breathing hard. The both of them had gotten carried away in their passion and it had blurred passed quickly but she was well aware of every moment every rasp of skin against skin. She could give you a million tactical details but she couldn't tell you how they got into that position, from a simple kiss, or how long it really lasted.

Then he was groaning and pulling away from her, both were still fully dressed, just pushing aside the barriers to enjoy one another again. And she had enjoyed it, hadn't been able to fully comprehend what she was doing, as she had been enjoying it too much. Now she adjusted a few pieces of clothing and smoothed down her skirt. Her hands raised to her hair it was completely ruined. She had to find a bathroom and fix it, or come up with another look so it looked like she obviously took it down for a reason and the reason couldn't be anywhere near the truth.

He'd turned his back on her so he could shove his clothes back into order and she could see the tension in his back. He obviously hadn't been expecting it either. "Darien-" She started not knowing what she could say or what she would.

His spine straightened at hearing her voice and he turned to her. "How is it that every time you get within breathing distance to me, my mind turns off and I go against all my principles?" He rasped at her, anger clearly the go to emotion with her.

"Look, I hadn't been, I didn't mean-"

"This time it is your fault." He snapped. "You're married and you kissed me. I told you I wouldn't break those boundaries anymore and you were the one to do so."

"You knew eventually it would happen, you laid down that line hoping I would cross it. You told me so yourself!" Serena tried to protect herself, wrapping herself up with anger as well. "It takes two to tango buster!"

"Yeah it does and you did a fine job of showing the world that you like to tango out there with Michelangelo."

"You honestly can't be jealous of Michelangelo when at the end of that dance I killed him and came looking for you!"

Darien laughed. "Oh you kill every man you come in contact with, some way or another."

Tears smarted her eyes and she tried to push them back at the same time she pushed behind her a long strand of blond hair. She tried to find a retort that would hurt him back but a knock on the door behind her stopped it and they both looked at one another in horror. "Darien? Are you in there man?" It was Nashashuk's voice. "Lita and I wanted to say goodbye before we left, but you'd disappeared."

Darien reached out to drag her somewhere but thought better about touching her again, knowing it would only lead to problems every time they came into contact with one another. "There's another door." He turned away and reached for a handle that she'd never have found in all those books. "We'll talk more later."

"Secret passage ways, Darien?" She sniffed, wondering what other secrets he'd protected.

"I might have secrets, but they've never harmed anyone." He hissed as she passed him. She took off on a run. "Serena!" He sounded almost apologetic but she didn't falter as she looked for a bathroom and locked herself in.

She lifted her head to the mirror and she looked atrocious. She set to fixing up her appearance and decided to use the dancing as an excuse for changing her hair, it had gotten loose and trying to fix a few pieces ended up resulting in the need to completely redo the look. So she let it down and shook it out. Then she went in a search for Andrew.

She found him talking with Mina near the bar. She didn't think anything of it, both of them could talk for hours if you let them at it. "Drew!" She wrapped herself around his arm. "I'm going to head home."

"I'll go with you." Andrew made to stand up but she shook her head.

"No, you look like you're having a lot of fun, don't stop on my account, but I'm tired. Stay here, I'm sure someone will take you back with them. I was just looking for the keys."

"I'll give him a lift back." Mina volunteered a bit too forcefully and over-bright, but then again, that was just Mina and Serena was seeing suspicion on everyone's features right now. Must be her guilty conscious.

"Yeah." Andrew checked his pants pockets and shrugged. "I guess they're in my coat. Should I go get them?"

"No." Serena held his arm and looked up at him her heart beating hard. "It's all right, I'm heading there for mine anyway and so I'll just get them myself. See you later, okay?" She rose to her tiptoes and kissed his cheek, unwilling to let him kiss her on the mouth after what just happened, afraid he'd taste Darien there.

"Bye, Serena." Andrew watched her go a little worried and she tried to control her gait.

Serena ducked into the coat closet just as she saw Darien emerge into the hall with Lita and Nashashuk. They were laughing and Serena couldn't help but feel a little jealous at how at ease he was afterward. He looked around but he didn't see her spying around the corner. He saw the two of them to the door, their coats already on. He turned back to the room, looking around once more and then striding off for a hallway, probably the one that she disappeared into when she left the study. She left the door to the bathroom closed and she had seen a lot of other closed doors. She quickly searched Andrew's pockets but couldn't find the keys.

Her breathing was frantic and she was shaking so she decided to leave it and slipped out the door. She would walk if it came to that and she set out along the road she knew would take her back to town. It would probably take two hours, max, walking. She didn't have to wind around on the road, she could just cut through.

She was already about forty minutes out, having run most of the way, but she was slowing down, the snow was deeper than she remembered it and it was bitingly cold against her bare legs. Her feet felt a little numb too. Who knew country looking boots weren't great at protecting from the cold? They were warm enough and kept the water out but long enough out there and the furthest parts of her body were cooling. She stuffed her hands into her pockets and wished she'd brought the heavy duty one. She hadn't accounted for so _much_ snow to dump while she was in the warm cocoon of Darien's ranch house. She also hadn't realized that nights dropped so drastically in temperature here. She had always spent the late hours indoors, watching from a safe haven.

She was also starting to stumble and she fell painfully onto her knee at one point and had difficulty getting up again, she had sunk a little into the snow. She tried to stick to the road, Lita and Nash had recently driven this way but their tracks were getting covered by the wind whipping loose snow over it as she looked and she was sure she veered off a few times. It was so cold that it was no longer snowing.

There'd be more people returning to the lodge soon, there had to be. But everybody had drunk a lot of alcohol. Rei hadn't but she was pregnant and now that she thought of it, she had heard something about the sisters spending the night at their brother's rather than make the trip back. A lot of people probably were now. Andrew for sure wasn't safe to drive, he'd even misplaced his truck keys. Even if he hadn't, Serena wasn't sure she could drive that rusted bucket out here even with the chains, she'd probably end up in a ditch.

Her feet went out from under her and she ended up face down in the powdery white stuff. She moaned in pain and pushed against the ground, attempting to at least lift her face out so she could breathe. Serena cursed her fates, she was supposed to be graceful and had just recently gone down into the depths of icy water but snow was the thing that tripped her up, snow was her downfall. She should have never left Florida.

There would never be all these problems in Florida. But then again she had never been perfectly happy in Florida and when Andrew had called her, apologizing profusely for their problems and wanted to work through them, but could only do so if she came to Montana, she hadn't thought twice. She had jumped at the chance to see him again. She had missed him more than she had ever missed anyone before. It was as if a piece of her was taken away at their distance. She could count on one hand the people she had truly loved and had left in her life before she came here.

Even if she discounted all the issues with the men she'd encountered here, she had made amazing friendships with the women. Except all of them, even the one with Mona was based on a lie. Would they stand beside her if the truth ever came out? She doubted it. Only Michelangelo might. So she vowed they never would, but then she had to go and mess it all up again by giving in to her one weakness.

And oh how he was a weakness. No matter what she resolved she couldn't stay away from him, and tonight just proved it. She'd just have to try and be strong and keep a distance between them in the future. She'd never let something like that happen again. Though it probably happened because it hadn't for so long. She had no excuses this time.

She struggled to stand up once more, but her feet couldn't find any purchase and she slipped and slid until she was lying face down in the snow once more. She took a deep breath, trying to control her movements, she wasn't too far away, another hour and she'd be back in her warm bed and she could sleep. Serena struggled to keep her eyes open and she told herself not to imagine sleeping, for it made her give into the very real tiredness that had crept up over her.

Serena heard a faint roar of a well-tuned engine and thought that someone was going her way and would be able to offer a lift. Then she realized as her hands scrapped gravel, that she was in the middle of the road and she struggled to roll over so she was on her back, hoping that it would be easier to get up, but if not, then she could roll out of the way.

The car skidded to a halt a short distance and there were muffled voices cursing and she realized that if they hadn't seen her so early, if she hadn't been so bright in her red coat, she would have been run over because she wasn't making any progress besides the one flip and they would have slid into her as they hit the breaks.

Then faces were in hers and she blinked slowly, realizing that she knew exactly who they were and she felt her stomach give out as she realized that the one person she wanted to get away from was the one that had found her. "Let's get her back to the ranch." He sounded odd, but maybe it was her hearing.

Who was he talking to? "No. The lodge is closer."

"Fine. Let's just get her out of here." He scooped her up and she tried to fight, this was the very base of the problem, they couldn't touch. But he only crushed her against him a bit more tightly to halt her hands. Why was he always the one to find her when she wanted to be alone? Whenever she was doing something dangerous?

She must have spoken out loud because she heard a growl in his chest as he walked easily back to the car. How did he do that? "Because you idiot, you need a warden and your husband obviously isn't up for the job."

"You're not very nice." She protested as a door was opened and another person was there, wrapping her up in blankets and helping to bring her into the back of the truck.

"I'm not feeling very nice at the moment." He responded and slammed the door shut.

"This is better than the sports car." She muttered as she curled into the blankets.

"She's disoriented. She's dehydrated and needs a lot of attention."

"Too medical." Serena complained, turning in her spot.

"She seems to be getting better." The person in back with her commented with a laugh and rotated her so she was on her side again and she felt a soft hand brushing back the bangs on her forehead. "How much further?"

"We're pulling in now." Darien's voice was clear and distinct and Serena batted at the hands. Anything that had to do with him had to be evil. "Serena, stop it." He commanded and she snarled something back at him, but she did lay still. "That's more like it."

When they got in to the lodge there were no sounds as all of the guests were sleeping and there was only one person on duty at the front desk in case of emergencies. They didn't get anywhere near it as the trio moved Serena into the living space she shared with Andrew.

She didn't know how long they stayed but soon she recognized Zolton and Amy and she was feeling a hundred times more herself. She was shivering so fiercely and Zolton had put warm supplies onto her hands and feet. Amy yawned heavily and leaned against the wall. "Get some sleep Ames, we can handle it from here."

"I'm just so glad you found her. I have to call Raye and Andrew. Though I think he's probably asleep by now."

"Whadamean?" Serena asked fighting to sit up and face them like a rational person and not a sick one.

"He was completely wasted by the time we set out in the car for you." Darien answered for Amy. "He seemed rather upset, did something happen between the two of you?"

"Andrew was upset?" Serena shook her head trying to replay what she had witnessed before she left but she was too wrapped up in her own misery to notice. "No, he seemed fine when I left."

"Mina was matching him drink for drink but she said that he was going on about how his life was over. That he was doomed."

"He offered to drive me home." Serena felt chilled, Andrew didn't seem drunk whatsoever.

"Better that he didn't." Darien hissed. "You'd both be wrapped around a tree."

"Anything else?"

"No, Mina didn't say anything else and Andrew was passed out in a chair. I saw him and thought you must still be around if he were. Do you have any idea how incredibly stupid you were to try and _walk _back to the lodge?"

He was angry with her for leaving on foot, he would have been upset too if she had left by car, he would have been upset if she had stayed. "I'm sorry I can't do anything right by your standards." She pouted.

Darien spun towards her and she was sure he was going to throttle her but somehow managed to reign it in, but the fire still burned in his eyes. "Look, Zolton, is she all right?"

"Yeah, the night in should do her good and then she has a few days of rest and not pushing it too far and staying away from the cold and she'll be fine. Make sure you drink plenty of liquids though."

"Will do." Serena promised.

"Ok good, then will the two of you kindly leave us alone?" Darien poked at the fire and it flared up a bit more so the entire room was warmed.

"Darien-" Amy protested, having seen how terrifyingly mad he was.

"No, I won't hurt her." He tossed her a somewhat crooked smile and Amy left. Serena wanted to call her back, make sure she had defenses in place but Darien had charmed them out and the door clicked shut behind the other two. Darien turned back to the room and he surveyed her for a long time. She opened her mouth to say something but nothing came out. He pushed away from the wall. "Where do you keep the brandy?"

She told him and he poured himself a drink. Then he sat down across from her and just looked at her. "I know it was stupid." She agreed.

"I have a hard time figuring you out." He said to his drink and took a swallow. "Why did you risk your life leaving my ranch?"

"I couldn't stay. I didn't want to do this." She told him honestly. "I had to get out."

"Couldn't you have even caught a ride with someone? Lita perhaps?" He shook his head in disbelief. "I wasted so much time looking for you in that house. I then cornered Michelangelo and Andrew on your whereabouts but Andrew had just succumbed to the drink, it finally biting him in the rear end and Michelangelo hadn't a clue. He hadn't seen you since your dance. I didn't think that you would leave. But when Mina said that you'd decided to take the truck and drive back, I went to double check that everything was right with her story. The truck was still there and I about had a heartattack. I didn't want to believe that you'd wade through this on foot. Do you even fully comprehend how bad it is out there? We'll be lucky if anyone can get in tomorrow. We almost didn't make it to you, even with the chains and the truck. It's dumping out there and people will be stranded and snowed in. The best thing anyone can do is stay put."

"So why'd you come out after me?" She'd already been warned not to mention that it would have been easier on him to lose her, that would reflect badly on the town.

"You've made yourself out to be quite a damsel in distress, haven't you? Pulling at my protective instincts." He grunted and downed the entire drink. He stood up and poured himself another. "Pushing yourself forward as innocent in all these messes that were only created because you were near."

"What happened to our truce?"

"It was ruined the moment your lips connected with mine." He took up the seat again.

"Why can't you just treat me like a normal person? Why do you have to be so furious with me one moment and then the next your cold and the following one you're offering me an olive branch?"

He didn't answer her. In that time between words from him, she took a guzzle of the water that Zolton had given her.

Instead he turned subjects on her so fast that she didn't see the connection. "I was under the impression that our new employee's wife was named Rita." Darien nursed his drink as he looked over the sitting area at her. The fire burned noisily to her right. Another night, another drink and their spots were not quite so far away.

"Yes, I was nicknamed that-"

"Everyone I talk to tells me the same thing when I bring it up. You really do have all your bases covered, don't you?" Darien's eyes were dilating and Serena knew-. "Not one word I've heard out of your mouth has been different than the stories I've heard from someone else. Either you're an amazing actress, knowing your lines down pat, or its the truth. I can't tell which one's worse."

"-." Serena tried to say something but barely made a sound before his voice, now harsh cut across hers.

"Actually I do! I know which one is far worse than the other!" He slammed his empty cup down and stormed out of the room before Serena could confront him. She stumbled out of the blankets and took off after him but couldn't find his sulking form anywhere. She prayed that he didn't drive back to the ranch in his inebriated state and if the weather was as bad as he'd said. She darted out to the employee car park and breathed a sigh of relief to find his truck still there but he was no where to be seen.

Serena must have been obvious because Amy caught her looking at Darien's truck as she finished getting something out from the back. "I just said bye to Zolton, I hope he's all right to drive in this weather but he doesn't live too far away. And if its Darien you're worried about, he's been drinking and is smart enough not to drive he's going to walk it off in the cold for five minutes and then go to bed in the rooms still at the lodge designated for him." Amy took off her coat and wrapped it around Serena, it was too small for her. "You should be in bed or in front of a fire. I hate when he makes you upset. I hate that he's so moody recently." Amy paused to look at Serena's pinched face. "But it wasn't about the close scare, was it? What was it about this time? Has he told you why he's been drinking tonight?"

"He does it often?"

"Not so much now as when we first lost our parents. We hype him up as a hero that kept our family together, but he did suffer too. He waited until we were all asleep and then buried his grief in a bottle. You'd never know the next day, he was back to working hard and getting our lives in order." Amy shrugged. "I only knew because I caught him one night. I didn't make my presence known but I saw the once full bottle disappear. Watching him the next day I got a new appreciation for him." Amy shook her head in amazement. "Physically it shouldn't be possible."

"He's an al-"

"Don't you dare say that word, he's not. One day he just stopped drinking like that, the bottles stopped disappearing and dust started forming on top. He still had one occasionally but I think he got over the worst of it and didn't need it to help numb the pain, it was already being stitched up with time and thinking through it." Amy looked at Serena questioningly. "I haven't seen him drink too much for a long time. It's always been in extreme cases. So I ask again, what set him off this time?"

"Me, I think." Serena admitted truthfully and Amy was nodding. But it wasn't about tonight, though it had contributed, probably.

"I was afraid of that."

"How do you mean?" Serena was actually pretty shocked that _Amy_ picked it up.

"He's my brother. I've been watching my siblings spiral down a drain now for months. Raye with her pregnancy and not getting a hold of Jace. Darien with his impractical infatuation with you. You don't help by encouraging it and you don't help by treating him so standoffish either. I know its not your fault, you didn't ask for it, but he watches you. I thought at first it was in suspicion, waiting for you to mess up, to prove yourself to be a liar like all those we've had to fire before, but now, I'm thinking its something else. Don't let him get to you. He'll get over it eventually, I just think its hard for him to see you but he keeps putting himself in those positions. And he worries about you, you've taken a lot of risks recently. Are you normally like that?"

Before tonight, Serena might have argued with the girl, but Darien had admitted to almost as much. But not all positions were of his own making, she had fallen into one by mistake. It was hurting them both to continue like this. He just kept getting angry with her and she would flare up in return and he'd flare up as well. They were both getting hurt in the process, and Serena didn't know what else to do. They shared an office space and even if she started working from home, they'd see each other on occasion and the flare ups would probably be just as bad if not worse. And if tonight had been anything to go by, the next time might just be in front of an audience.

But not to see each other at all was a fate worse than that. Serena had gotten dependent on seeing Darien. Had felt so lonely when he wasn't around at the office or she wasn't taking a ski lesson. She missed him every time she had to say a terse goodnight and slam the door in his face. She laid in her full bed and it felt enormous. It was only a short time and yet.. yet she wanted him around whenever possible.

"What do you think I should do?" Serena asked a little moodily but trying to hide it from the third owner. Two votes and they'd be out in the middle of the worst snowstorm of the year. Probably vindictive enough to wait to do it. Though it wasn't often, at times, Raye was already enough trouble to keep a handle on, her ups and downs and sideways blows was difficult to parry. When she was even keeled she loved Serena, when she was weeping, she loved Serena, when she felt fat she hated every woman in sight that wasn't. When she was angry that she was alone going through this, her own fault by admission, she blamed Serena for being the only one to know it outside her family. Darien was just as much of a wild-card as his emotional sister. He was for sure the one vote that would have been cast against her.

Amy shrugged. "Ignoring him didn't work, fighting with him doesn't work, being polite doesn't work, have you tried sugary-sweet? Buttering him up until he can find no words? I wouldn't usually recommend that but he's always been an odd duck."

Serena actually thought that might be a good idea. She hadn't tried that at all and if she was too good at it, he'd be nauseated and had to get away from her or he'd be sick at how sweet she could be. So far with the truces that were broken, she'd always had a suspicion it wouldn't last and was always terse with him, and begrudgingly amused. But deep down she had always been touched when he smiled at her or offered her a kind word. If she was sweet to him, he wouldn't have anything to judge. And if she was the one to spearhead the truce, she'd be the one to decide when it was broken or not. Serena couldn't keep the grin off her face. Oh,that was too good, but she'd have to be slow on it. Darien would be suspicious if she just showed up tomorrow with baked goods and a new charming attitude. She could pull it off, she often had to pull that role off even when it made her sick to think about. It made things a lot easier in life to be sweet. Oh yeah, this was a good plan Amy had set forth for her. Serena threw her arms around Amy, gave the girl a peck on the cheek and then was off on a run back to her room. "Thanks Amy!"

"Hey, Serena-" But Serena was too far away to hear Amy and the girl sighed, turning back to the door and opening it again, Zolton stuck his head in, brushing the snow off and he grinned at her. Amy punched him lightly in the arm. "Don't you dare say anything."

Zolton pulled Amy in for a kiss. "I'd hate to break my advantage."

Giggling in a way that was completely at odd with any of the Shields, they went up to Amy's room.

* * *

EAN: Anyone wondering about ZZZ, I hope to have chapter 2 out by Halloween? It's complicated because I'm trying to write out all of the scenes I have in my head but that means all the filler stuff and transitions need to be worked out afterwards and then made sure that the scenes compute. So I have half of the chapter written, but I also have half of the story written, just without chapters associated to them. It's the rest of it that is tripping me up, because I want to get this stuff out, but in a way that makes sense to you and not just me. Unless you'd like for an entirely new formula of story, just scenes and moments and flashes and you get to fill in the rest.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

AN: I don't think that Darien is in the wrong, he's pissed and rightly so, but as you've seen, he wants her around, but he has given her hell and she's felt it throughout. She doesn't get away with it, just nobody else knows because nobody's said anything to them. Amy even called her on it last chapter, about how Serena had to watch her step otherwise there would be a scandal and drama unfolding. Raye sees it too and wanted them to get along, but knows that Serena's hurting her brother, however unintentionally, and that's part of her snappishness at Serena, though she doesn't say it. Nobody's turned _against_ Darien, he's the brother so there's mild irritants along the way because he is Darien, but they're all watching out for him. Serena's the new girl so they're trying to be supportive of her, but they've always got Darien's back. Michelangelo's, well he's Michelangelo. He's got his own agenda he's playing and he likes both Serena and Darien, but Serena's more on his level, and Darien's never been around enough for him to really get _that_ close to, but his values are a little different than everybody else's so he's supportive of both of them and their plights. I don't think those two ever argued once, they even were friends enough to ski together and had a friendly competition. And the rest of the townies, except maybe Lita and Mina don't really know Darien all that well anymore but they're still supportive of their own, but Mona is so far out there and actually kind of new, so he doesn't know her that well and really, Mona doesn't have a stance on him vs her anyways. Hotaru is another matter, she's young and she's seen Darien around, he's the town's hero and can do no wrong, but she doesn't _know_ him like everybody else. As for Andrew, of course his loyalty is to Serena and always Serena. Well, maybe not always...

I hope that clears things up for people. :)

* * *

At some point while she slept, Serena had been moved from the couch and placed into Andrew's bed. She frowned as she opened her eyes and looked into his open closet. Had Darien come back during the night to check on her? Zolton had advised that she not be alone. Then Serena realized that the room was very bright and that she was warmer than the half-dead fireplace would have made her.

She shifted and realized there was a blond body slumbering next to her and she realized with a start that it was Andrew. She reached out a hand and shifted back some of his blond locks. He smiled beneath her touch. "Awake now?" He asked with a groan.

"Yes... when did you get here?"

"Around ten. It's strange how sober a man can be in the morning after a night's sleep on a chair and then remembering that someone he cares deeply about had been in grave peril the night before." He propped up onto his elbow and looked down at her. "What made you do something so stupid?"

"This from the man who didn't tell me it was stupid for diving into a freezing lake?"

"Pash." He waved that away. "I know you're a strong swimmer and have been in similar temperature conditions before. Hell, you've been in worse all around conditions in water before that. I didn't think that was idiotic, but walking home in a winter's night in Montana was probably the dumbest thing I've ever had the memory of you doing."

"Gee, thanks." Serena sighed and snuggled into his body heat. "What time is it anyway?" She turned to look but he pulled her back into his large muscular arms.

"We're not done talking, you can't get out of it that easily. I have to be sure that you're aware of the dangers and will never do it again."

"Easily. I will never walk from the ranch again in a winter's night in Montana." She repeated his phrasing word for word. "Happy now? I was already lit into by two of the Shields and the good Herr Doktor."

Andrew laughed and pressed a kiss onto her temple. "All right, fine. I won't be a broken record. I just want you to know that I care about you and your safety."

"Got it." She reached out a finger and pushed gently on his nose. "Now, I should be getting up."

"It's already three in the afternoon, and suffice it to say, you're not going anywhere." He locked his arm around her, one was enough and pulled the blanket up with the other. "We're going to spend the day in bed."

"Andrew-" She felt a bit of a panic coming on by his suggestion.

"Sleeping. Me to recover from my hangover and you from numerous different things." Another kiss, this one to her cheek. "Relax, nobody will miss us today, and get some sleep."

Except for a few bathroom breaks and to eat, Serena and Andrew did spend all day in bed, and somehow slept through the night quite soundly. Serena woke up earlier than usual with no ability to sleep again, but she felt well-rested and Andrew followed into the kitchen for breakfast an hour later.

The sun wasn't even close to up yet, but then again, it wasn't rising for longer and longer periods so it could very well be later than she thought. Serena stretched out her stiff muscles, she hadn't used them for an entire day. She turned to Andrew and cocked her head to the side. "Are you joining me in the studio today?"

"No, I don't believe so. Michelangelo's going to be there, isn't he?"

"You still not over-"

"It isn't the skiing thing." Andrew countered. "Though it was thoughtless and irresponsible on both his and Darien's parts to leave you alone up there, I have moved on."

"Then why don't you like him?"

"He's got everything handed to him too easily. He's too perfect, it's so artificial."

Serena rounded on Andrew at that notion, fork in hand and sausage link hanging from its silver prongs. "Take that back, take that back right now."

"Why?" Andrew stirred the eggs and then looked back at her. "You know its true, you even said he looked like he hit the gym a lot."

"But that's only to refine his muscles and he's active, he's a sport's guy. Just like you." Serena felt defensive of her new friendship with Michelangelo.

"What's wrong with my statement?" Andrew was seriously confused. "It isn't like you're much of a fan of the artificial. You always laugh at those who feel so inadequate that they have to change everything about themselves to make them less unique, more generic than person."

"That's rich." Serena laughed. "Coming from you. He's the least generic person I've met in a long time. He's ambitious and a workaholic, sure, but he's not generic. You barely know him. Not like I do." Serena felt hurt that Andrew could even think that lowly of someone she practically praised as her idol. That Andrew thought something bad of anyone. She could feel the tears sting and she tried to blink them back. Andrew caught on quickly and he turned off the stove, moving the eggs to safety and pulled her resisting form into his arms.

"I'm sorry, Sere, really. I didn't mean anything by it. I don't even know where its come from. I guess I'm a little jealous of him and all of his success." He gave a harsh laugh. "Can you believe it? Me? Jealous?"

"But why? What do you have to be jealous of?"

Andrew shrugged and pulled her closer. "I guess its because he has a lot of your attention and ever since he's gotten here, I've had less of it. I feel you pulling away from me again." Andrew sighed. "I haven't even seen you all week, not since, well, I'm sorry about that night too."

"No, don't be sorry." Serena pulled back. "And you have no reason to be jealous. I'm here for you, and you alone. The minute you don't need me anymore, I'll be gone. I won't look back twice at anyone else I've met here." By then Darien would be gone too, if all worked in her favor, which wasn't the precedent yet, but she could always hope.

Andrew was shaking his head. "There might come the doubtful time that I won't need you anymore, but even if that were to happen, I'll always want you near me." He smiled shakily down at her. "Am I forgiven? I couldn't handle it if you were upset with me."

"All is forgiven." Serena sighed and wrapped her arms around his waist. Her fingers barely reached each other. Not that he was fat and not that her arms were particularly short. He was just so big and his chest was impressive in not only expansion but also in definition. "Too bad its winter. I would have had a right old blast if it were summer."

"You and me both." Andrew's tone turned a bit teasing. "Lita in a swimsuit would have been something to see!"

She squeaked in shock and then pulled back to hit him in the abdomen. "Jerk, thinking about another girl, a married girl, while I'm in your arms!"

"Sorry Sere, but man, she's got a smokin' body!" But he pulled her back to him and she felt him pinch her derriere. "Not that you're anything to sneeze at. Strong, defined muscles all over your body, beautiful eyes, face and hair. A fairly decent chest, and the best ass in the country."

"What is it with people's obsession with my bottom?" Man, she had never gotten so much attention for it in the past.

Andrew smirked. "I don't know if you ever look at it in the mirror, but it is definitely the best shape and definition any woman could hope to have and any man could hope to look at and touch."

"It's only a butt." Serena was feeling a little self-conscious about it now. "One of the grossest part of the human anatomy." Any species actually.

"Perhaps, but with the swoop of your back..." His fingers found the hollow above her waist. "It is enticing to say the least." His head ducked down to kiss her, and she might have let him, she couldn't help but be charmed by his words, when there was a knock at the door.

"I better go get that." Usagi broke out of his hold and adjusted her night shirt, she had short shorts on underneath but they wouldn't be noticed until the short hemline of her shirt rode up. She opened the door and was actually mildly shocked by who was at the other side of it. "Mina, what can I help you with?"

"Well..." She seemed kind of awkward. "I was talking to Andrew at the party but I hadn't seen either of you since then and I wanted to make sure you were both all right." Mina was eying Serena's outfit with some speculation and was frowning slightly at the mused appearance. "Was I interrupting anything?"

"No." "Yes." Serena and Andrew's words overlapped each other and they shared a look before laughing. "Come on in, why don't you join us for breakfast?"

"Thanks, but really if I was walking in to the middle of a kinky breakfast, I can go-"

"If by kinky you mean eggs and sausage at the table while fully dressed, then yes, yes it is. But please, then every meal will be kinky and really we shouldn't show ourselves in public ever again. Actually anyone eating in public should be ashamed of themselves. And for those who have people over- well!"

Mina was laughing as she shut the door behind her. She'd been here many times in the past, having been coming up here every winter for years. But this was the first time she remembered enjoying her time quite so much as Andrew and Serena were hilarious when put together. They built off each other with such timing and precision and it could only be accomplished after years together liking one another and sharing many of life's moments. No one could doubt that these two were a well-oiled machine.

–

When the temperatures slowly raised and the snow was cleared enough by trucks with attachable snowplows, Serena ventured back to the office. Darien had disappeared to his ranch somewhere along the line and she hadn't seen him since. Amy shrugged and said it was probably for the best. Now people were slowly filtering back in and Raye was finally home. She was crankier than ever too, since she'd been cooped up with Darien for so long.

"He's a pain in the rear end!" Raye grumbled. "I swear if I didn't love him so much, I would have shot him a month ago!"

"What's he done now?" Amy asked, and there was a smile fluttering about her lips, she'd been smiling a lot since the snow storm. It didn't even matter to her that the lodge was half empty. But that was due to cancellations, people couldn't get through the passes. Now people were going to fill up the rooms once more. Amy had said it was to be expected, those things did happen, especially here.

Serena looked at Amy curiously, she might not know these women so well, but she could bet good money that Amy wasn't usually so cheerful, even if she'd been having a bout of grumpiness the last month, it seemed to fit her personality better. Not that Serena didn't like this new version of Amy. As long as they were happy, they weren't looking too deep at anyone else's business. Except Raye wasn't happy and she wasn't looking. So one extreme or the other was needed.

Raye went on, completely oblivious to this new factor to her sister's personality. "He's been bugging me about Jace. Wondering why I even hold out hope that he'll come back to me. That I should just be satisfied to raise this kid on my own and slam him with a paternity suit. Well to do that, I need to know where Jace is, and secondly, Jace wants the kid. I've told Darien that a thousand times. But I was the one that kicked Jace out and now he's cooling his heels and licking his wounds after such a brutal telling off from me."

Serena already knew that and was thinking about the emails she'd sent out to other ski resorts around the world. Both big and small and she had shifted through a lot of replies, but nothing told her about Jace's whereabouts. She probably had more on her computer now. "He didn't leave you any kind of idea where he might potentially be?"

"None." Raye sighed. "I wish I knew. I would tell him how terribly sorry I am and how upset I am with myself for how I reacted. He probably doesn't even know I decided to keep the child. I'd said some pretty horrible things."

Amy was looking at Raye with something akin to shock. She knew most of that herself, but this was enough to pull her out of her happy bubble. "You threatened to end the child's life?" Amy asked, her hand covering her own stomach as if she was going to be sick at even the thought of it.

"No, yes, oh, I don't know. I was hormonal and upset and I said a lot of things I wouldn't have meant in a million years." Raye sighed and buried her head into her hands. "Now all I want is him back, back here so I can at least see him, even if he never takes me back otherwise."

Serena cast Raye a sympathetic look, she knew exactly how it felt to be Raye at the moment, even if their situations weren't _exactly_ the same. Serena folded Raye into her arms and Amy joined in. Serena hung on longer than she probably should have, for she had to go and face her issues now and the two Shield sisters had to get back to work. "It'll be all right, you'll see." Serena whispered in Raye's ear. "He'll come around eventually if he's everything you've said he is. He loves you too much not to give it another try."

"I hope so." Raye pulled away with a sniff, trying to hold back her crazy pregnancy tears. "I really hope you're right." And Serena hoped so too, for both their sakes, and maybe a little bit for herself as well. If these two could work it out, maybe, just maybe, Serena would be all right in the end too. "Now, get out of here. I want you to go bring us a bunch of new clients."

"Will do." Serena saluted and ran out of the main room, hearing Raye's laughter as she went. At least she managed to cheer one person up. The test of her skills would be to see if she got the right clientele come the backside of the new year. That was the real evaluation. Not that they'd be unhappy with guests that didn't fit the exact bill they were going for, and maybe that was just the thing. The ones that they wanted came before, and they'd have to change their interest group for the second half of the season. Serena paused at the lobby doors, shrugging on her red coat and knock-off boots. She thought twice and slipped her gloves and hat on over her ears and pushed her way outside.

It was colder than she thought and she was grateful for her thoughtful protection and shoved her hands into her pockets as she made the short jaunt over to the office. She had a few new ideas about how she could go about contacting Jace. It was probably the most straight forward way but she had been holding off from doing so.

She grasped onto anything that could allow her not to face the fact that at any moment she'd open the door and have to deal with Darien. If she could wallow in Raye's misery, she was a thousand times happier than in her own. She was a fixer and a people person and if she couldn't fix her own situation, she could fix Raye's. Serena pushed open the door to the office, a greeting on her lips and she felt a little anticlimactic as Darien wasn't there. Perhaps he hadn't been in all week. But Raye had said that he'd dropped her off this morning and said something about going to the office.

Serena sighed and went to her computer sitting neatly on the coffee table near the couches. She dropped into the one facing the mountains and started up the laptop. She worked on it for quite awhile when somehow she nodded off. The next thing she knew, she was being woken up with one of the greatest smells known to man. She smiled and reached for it blindly. Then she lifted her eyes to the man offering it to her. "Darien?" She asked, surprised by this offer. She didn't want to think if it was laced or not. He'd proven too much of a hero to do something like that.

"It's a cease fire while we deliberate. Once its gone, so is the temporary truce." He sank down into the chair next to her as she nodded to the terms of the agreement. "I have had time to cool off and think rationally about what happened."

"I'm sorry, I should never have kissed you. I'm not entirely sure I know what came over me."

"That's not the point. But apology accepted and I won't horde it over your head. God, you _know_ I'm not going to kick you out. As you've pointed out several times, I have plenty of proof that you're a cheat and not what we're looking for. Except the only person you're that way with, as far as I know, is me. But that's enough. We wanted a married couple and you can't be one if you're willing to step out on your relationship with Andrew. God knows why you'd want to, the two of you are great together."

"I don't want to. I admit the first one wasn't exactly planned but I went into it knowing full well, the other night however..."

"We both were reacting without thinking. That's the whole point of this conversation, not anything else. I've had a moment and I've realized that we didn't use any protection. If you become pregnant, first of all, I'll want a paternity test if there's any question to parentage. Second, if it is mine, I will be there in any way possible. I'm not going to step out on my responsibilities. Even if you're married and I don't agree with how this came about, it was partly my fault and I will accept that."

"I'm not pregnant." Serena twisted her head back and forth. There was absolutely no way that this is what she expected when she walked in the door. "I've told you, I'm on the pill."

"That's not foolproof and we're both fools." Darien shook his head in self-disgust. "I mean, there was absolutely no finesse in that. I just slammed you up against the door and took you."

"I took you too." Serena argued. "And as I recall, we both came away from that satisfied."

"That's part of the problem, isn't it? We're good together. We just have to touch and we're overcome by desire. Then we blow up at one another."

"No, correction, you blow up at me. I would be perfectly capable of rationally discussing the problem afterwards."

"Fine, so I blow up, you argue back and then you go and do something potentially deadly. I don't believe you handle the situation much better yourself." Darien snarled.

Serena held up her drink and swished it around. "Still got some here, pretty sure we're not going back to war yet."

Despite himself, Darien chuckled at her words. "All right, all right, I understand. Crisis averted."

"Good. Now is there anything else to discuss. Oh yes, why do you blow up at me?"

"Because you're infuriating." He commented and stood up. "I think this is over."

"Wait, no, it's not. Because I still want to know about why you're willing to overlook my gaffs with you and pretend they didn't happen when you've been threatening me since day two about sending me out on my bottom."

"You'd probably bounce and be perfectly all right. What I should do is throw you out on your face. At least that isn't bouncy but then I'd hate to see this perfect face ruined."

"Darien." Her tone warned him that she was being serious now. "What are we going to do about our problem?"

"Not touch, for one. And don't look at me. Those eyes are dangerous."

"So no touching, no looking." Serena's lips twisted, oh, he thought that was all there was to this, didn't he? He had only been attracted to her touch and eyes? "So that's going to solve the problem?"

"No, I can't look at you at all. If I do, I recall every little detail of you without clothes on. Like the birthmark you have right-"

"Ok, I get it. You can't look at me at all, I can't look at you, but I guess it'd be redundant on your part. So I could do all the looking I want. And no touching."

"Think you can just bury that flirtatious little comment in there, don't you? You have to stop doing that too. And no, you can't look at me, I might look up and catch those bewitching eyes filled with mischief and I'll probably come over and press you up against the window with no way to stop myself. I'm sure your husband will catch us then, if someone else doesn't. Besides, you'll need to control yourself too."

"All right, we'll try it your way." For awhile at least, and if that didn't work, she'd try Amy's suggestion. Amy might not be an expert on men and relationships, but she was an expert on her brother. So her advice was worth something. Though Serena knew there was no way Darien's plan would work, but she thought it secretly and tried to push it out, for it they didn't both go into this with true intentions then it definitely wouldn't. And while normally that's not something she'd do, for all the parties involved, she'd try. There were too many people who could be hurt if she just tossed it all out so she could follow her body's desires. But something would be working against all her best intentions her mind set up for them, she could control her body if she set her mind to it, but what she couldn't control was her heart.

"Good, now finish your drink so we can start." Darien walked away from her and she did as he suggested. It was a good thing that for the next few hours she'd be hidden from his view and she wouldn't be seeing him either. Except when she looked into the window in a certain area, she could see his reflection as he worked on the computer. She had to tear her eyes away every time. That's why she chose this spot in the past, but now with their new ground rules, it would be easier if she didn't have that sneaky way of looking without being seen.

And for an entire week it worked. Not well, but it was holding up for the most part. Then one day when Serena was pushing the door open, she had her hands full with christmas decorations. She figured if they had three weeks before the holiday, she might as well get a jump on it and appreciate it for as long as she could. He about rammed it down her throat when he caught sight of the box.

"No way." They were the first words she'd heard all week, they stopped exchanging even the most basic of communication. For all intents and purposes they pretended as if the other wasn't sitting five feet away from them. "Those are not taking another step into this office. It's already bad enough that there's a huge tree in the lodge." And it was gorgeous, even if it was fake. "And my hand has one decorated near the stables." That would be pretty, she thought. "But you're not infecting this pristine workplace with that nonsense. I thought I got away with having you in here when you hadn't attempted any other holiday, but this one is completely off limits."

"Oh..." Serena was shocked. What did he have against Christmas stuff? Then the sugary-sweet clicked in now that their agreement was null and void. She'd decide when this tactic was done with. "But Darien!" She purred, dropping the box on his desk. "I love Christmas and these are some momentous to keep everyone in the holiday spirit. Good cheer and kindness to everyone, you know." She didn't bait him, she let the unspoken words hang there for themselves instead of telling him, 'you know, the opposite of your typical attitude', and his mouth tightened in knowledge of exactly what she meant by that. "If I swear to leave your half of the room alone, will you let me keep them? They're just sooo cute and I've already decked out my apartments with Andrew with the stuff, there isn't any more room. I'll even let you decide where everything should go. As long as its up, I'll move it to where ever you want." She batted her lashes at him and he snarled back.

"No Christmas decorations."

"Come on, it'll soften your image." Not that he needed to, everybody already loved him and spoke highly of him but it was worth a shot

"Serena, no."

"Please?" She begged, batting her lashes harder, not sure if she was doing it right. She never really had to in the past.

He hesitated. "No."

She pouted and opened her eyes wide and gave him her best impression of a doe. "Come on, _please_?"

Another long hesitation as he tried to look away from her and failed. "All right."

She squealed and threw her arms around his neck before beating a hasty retreat. "You won't regret it. It'll be tastefully done."

"I'm trusting you to do just that." Darien got to his feet. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go drop in on Ton. See if he can prescribe me something, for I'm obviously losing it. I'll be back." Darien gave her a very pointed look. "Don't over do it."

"Not in my nature!" She vowed and put her hand over her heart. Darien's eyes followed her hand before he shook his head and left out the building muttering something to himself. Serena gave a small cheer and went to work.

Half an hour later, and Darien let himself back in. "Oh. my. God." His eyes widened as he took in what just transpired in his office.

Serena turned to him, a ribbon wrapped haphazardly around her hair and a grin on her face. "Totally perfect, right?"

"I am so going to kill you." Darien swore and took a very menacing step into the room. Serena took a step back and put the chair between them.

"Now Darien, I didn't go overboard, I promise. This is me being very conservative with the decorations."

"If this is conservative and you ran out of space in the apartments, remind me never to step foot in there. This is a bloody nightmare. It's like all the rooms at the North Pole have thrown up in here. I can barely walk two inches without tripping over some kind of trapping."

"It's still a bit of a mess, but you'll see, it's going to look great!" Serena defended herself. "I'm just not done yet." But she felt a little hurt, couldn't he see what she was going for? Really it wasn't all that bad, a few things here and there. That's all.

"If Mina says its too much you will know that there's something wrong with the picture." Mina had decked out the lodge. The lodge could be seen from space with all the lights and stuff she'd put on it. If the power wasn't already spotty she'd run it all at once and probably add a bunch more. Though that stuff didn't take _too _much energy.

"Mina hasn't said so."

"She hasn't been up here yet." Darien turned to call Mina up but Serena shot across the room and stayed his hand. "Serena-"

"No, don't worry, it won't be so crowded in an hour, please don't worry. You just caught me in my creating process. Stuff is everywhere, but it won't be. I'm a tasty, classy woman."

"I can't vouch for that." Darien pulled his hand away. "What happened to staying a distance and no touching?"

"It went out the window as soon as you spoke to me earlier today. I'm trying a new approach."

"Get me so frustrated that I tear my hair out? Run me out with stuff I don't like?" Darien intoned dryly. "Well howdy-doodah, you're succeeding."

"Darien..." She warned gently. "It's not like that and you know it." She wondered where he was about to put his fingers when he lifted them up to her eye level. He plucked the ribbon out of her hair as if it was a bug and dropped it onto the desk.

"One hour Serena, and then if its not something I can live with, I'm throwing it all out the window."

"One hour." Serena agreed and went back to work quickly. Darien sat back and watched her go. Darien watched her for the entire hour, though he tried to pretend he was working. His eyes kept sliding back to her slim but muscular body moving around the room as if she was dancing. She had a dancer's physique, he could see that now, after Thanksgiving. She was mesmerizing when she moved and he could freely admit he was one of those she affected. So then why was she working in this office rather than doing what she was obviously so good at? Though she was pretty good at this too. Maybe not the best he'd ever seen but she had a fresh approach to it.

Then she stopped and turned to him and he barely had time to move his eyes back to his computer before she caught him staring. "There, I'm done."

This time when he looked up at her, he took in the room for a change and had to admit, she'd done a great job. It changed the way the room felt, but it wasn't over the top with the knowledge that it was Christmas decorations, just that someone liked the red, green and white color scheme with just a tiny dose of cheer. "All right, it can stay."

She dove across the table and the next thing he knew she was in his lap with her arms around his neck. "Oh thank you Darien! Thank you! You're the best." She tilted back a little to look at him and when she did, they both realized that she was in his lap. She froze trying to move away but it was too late. He'd already reached up and cupped her cheek and with that action she was leaning closer to him. Their noses brushed and their eyes locked, she could see a small smile unfurl along his lips.

The door banged open and Serena fell over and off his lap. He jerked to catch her and neither of them noticed who it was that came unannounced into their office. "Interrupting something, am I?" A female voice asked and Serena never heard a voice she didn't like as much as she didn't like this one. Darien helped lift Serena to her feet.

Darien's face was a mask of rage again, but this time it wasn't directed towards her, and Serena had never been so scared in her life of this man. It gave her an insight in just how much he reigned in when dealing with her. "Bethany." He snarled at the redhead who stood there with hands on her hips, one jutting out to the side, trying to give herself a more seductive body shape. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to tell you that you're being an idiot. I barely saw you the last time you were home and I can't believe you trekked all the way back out here. For what? This..." Bethany glanced over Serena who was looking less than professional at the moment. "Two-bit wannabe." Oh, Serena definitely didn't like this woman and thought nastily that she clashed with the red now in the room. "I'll tell you honey, you're wasting your time. He might be interested in you to distract him while he's out here, but it could never be something permanent with the likes of you." Bethany shifted as if she was uncurling like a cat. "He's already got more woman than he could ever handle in me."

Serena started choking as Darien rose to his feet. He couldn't very well say anything in her defense, it'd either be a lie or admission that they'd done something more and at any rate this woman spoke some truths. "Bethany..." His tone was a clear warning and if he had used it with her, she would have backed off instantly, but Bethany only smiled slowly. "Get the hell off my land before I call the sheriff and have you thrown off."

"Too bad sugar plum." Bethany batted her overly made up lashes. "I've already got a room booked in the lodge. You wouldn't want your sisters to lose money on the biggest room they've got for the next month, would you?"

"They'd only lose money for a week at most and I'd fill it in for them if need be." Darien bit out. "Anything is better than you staying anywhere near me."

Bethany seemed unconcerned as she looked down at her talon-like nails. "You don't own all the land around here, Dare, eventually I will find some place to stay even if you do manage to find a way to kick me out of the lodge. I shall sue."

"And I shall win." Darien seemed unimpressed with this woman's words, as if nothing could really phase him. Serena wondered what had gone on between them, why this redhead striked such a reaction in him and then she realized that the two must have had an affair somewhere along the lines. That was the only time Darien was moved to anger, if he'd slept with the woman before.

Darien could see her understanding dawn out of the corner of his eye and knew Serena had reached for the wrong conclusions. "No, Serena, not that, _never_ that. Bethany is a fully married woman, aren't you?"

"Divorced. I would have told you that when I saw you last, but I didn't have time before you got into that truck of yours and drove back here."

"What happened, he finally got tired of all your flings?" Darien lifted a brow.

"Just the one. He couldn't _handle_ the idea of the two of us in the marriage bed and in the shower and on the chaise." Her lip lifted so far up it looked like she was a canine.

"Only in your imagination. I never set foot into that bedroom and the only reason I was ever in the house was because he invited me. As I told him when he called. Guess who he believed? That's right, his cousin."

Serena felt sick, Bethany was his cousin's wife? She groped for the couch behind her, sitting heavily on the arm. Unlike Darien, she believed him when he claimed his innocence, she knew far too much of his character not to. A few married women had hit on him and he gently rebuffed them and somehow scored more points in their husband's favors. The wives went back with new eyes and the marriages lived to last another season. Even when single women flirted with Darien he seemed uninterested, even the ones that had lived in town. He was giving her a questioning look and she shook her head, she believed him. But how could this woman betray her husband so often and then try to with family?

Darien gave a short nod and then turned back to the woman watching it all unfold. Her red brow was lifted in sardonic amusement. "So there is something going on between the two of you. How sweet Darien, having a little pet in the office for when you get bored. Clever too, hiding her up here and away from all eyes. Couldn't just keep her at the Ranch or the lodge. Your sisters might disapprove if they've suspected. But what's this? She's _married_? How shocking! So the perfect Darien has flaws after all, hmm?"

"There is nothing here that you need to be concerned by." Darien grated out. "You did not walk in on anything and of course her opinion matters, I have to share a small space with her during the day and she's one of my sisters' employees. If word gets back to them about you, they'll be livid to think I could do something as degrading as sleep with you." Serena winced as the woman let out a shrill noise at that very large mistake on his part, fanning the flames wasn't going to help. "So yes, I want her to believe me over you. There's nothing you can do that can stop me, and you're only adding slander to the counter-charges I could slam against you. As for finding someone to let you stay, hardly likely, one word from me and you could have a riot on your hands, pitchforks and chasing you out."

Bethany shook her head. "One day Darien you will eat your threats. But for now, I shall leave." She cast malice eyes at Serena. "Don't be a fool dear, he definitely won't look at you twice with those rings on that finger. But I commend your efforts. I could barely touch him before he cast me off, you seem to be getting a lot further than that." She licked her teeth. "What's your husband's name?" Bethany walked closer, getting so close that she was within touching distance of the two of them.

"Get out." Serena stood up and pointed to the door. "You have done enough talking. I would like to get back to work and to see your ugly coloring out that door."

Furious Bethany took a swipe at Serena and Darien caught her hand before those nails could do serious damage to her face. "Don't you dare. That would be assault on top of everything else."

"You haven't seen the last of me Darien." Her eyes transferred to Serena. "And you will never get away talking that way to me, cheat."

"The only one I see who could be counted as a cheater is you." Serena stood her ground. "Now you know both of our thoughts, leave."

"I second that." Darien hauled Bethany on her pointy tall heeled feet to the door and tossed her out. The door closed shut behind her and this time locked. It must not have closed all the way last time. Darien turned to Serena. "I'm sorry about all that. But you believe me, right?"

"Of course!" There was not even a need to think about her response. "Anyone could see that she wasn't your type and that she was obviously lying if they think you could ever do something like that. Besides you told me it wasn't true and I believe you."

Darien held her gaze steady for a long time. "Ok. Thank you. And as for right before that-"

"Don't worry. Let's not rehash things anymore, ok? If they happen they happen." Serena shrugged. Then she started laughing. "God, who knew such a small town was filled with such drama?"

Darien laughed with her. "That's usually the way it goes. Small towns are filled with more drama than cities unless the city is so large and people form their own exclusive communities and then there is tons of drama but a lot more subtle and vindictive. At least in a small town people will come out and say things... usually."

Serena collapsed on the sofa, looking up at the ceiling. "I can still feel my heart racing from the moment she stepped into the room." She shook her head. "And then when she actually thought to strike me- I didn't believe people actually did it. She's mentally unbalanced, that one."

There were no more amused sounds coming from Darien's corner and Serena looked over at him in curiosity. A frown was causing his face to twist unnaturally. She thought vaguely that if he kept that up, he'd no longer be so handsome and lines would cover his face earlier than normal. "Don't walk anywhere without a male escort until I make sure she's long gone from the grounds. She has been relentless in trying to obtain me as another mark on her post and a lot of the women I dated have gotten in her way and serious things happened to them in returned. And not one of those women spoke back to her in the way that you did."

Serena rolled to a sitting position and most women would be jealous of her control over her ab muscles. "Ok, I wont." She was well aware that the woman meant serious business. "I don't think it will be a problem, you, Andrew, Michelangelo, Nash, and even Zolton are pretty intimidating if you don't know the real personalities below." She wasn't too worried and if she didn't say something to them, Darien probably would.

She glanced at the clock on her computer. "I've got to go. I have... well I better just come right out and tell you, a lesson to teach at Mona's studio."

"What kind of lesson?" Though Darien had a feeling he knew.

"Dance. I'm teaching Hotaru and a bunch of other girls different dances. We're working on some other things too, but I'm really only qualified to teach the dancing. I'm surprised the news hasn't already gotten to you, what with how the grapevine seems to work around here."

"I knew you were spending time with them, but not why. Ok, I'll walk you over there." Darien rose to his feet. "Is someone going to be there with you?"

Serena made a face. "Andrew isn't, he's got work and Michelangelo... he comes when he wants to. He probably will be."

"I'll stay then." Darien unplugged his laptop and shrugged on his coat. "I can work from there."

Serena bit her lip, she would really rather he didn't, she'd feel self-conscious the whole time, but if he was right about Bethany, then she might need some kind of protection. "Ok."

"I promise I won't be a hindrance at all." He crossed his heart and held up the typical amount of fingers associated with boy-scouts. Serena rolled her eyes and took her computer too as she got ready to leave. She was wearing the right clothes for it, every time she had to go there afterward she always wore the right outfit to work to fit both places and then a change for after. She took the computer because she had an email that came with its own notification attached and she wanted to look into it, but she didn't want to do it where she had company.

Through the lesson, Darien kept quiet and worked at the desk she had set up for the music and checklist. The girls were doing rather well and Serena was fixing their forms. It was tedious work sometimes and today was one of those days where she was trying to get positions perfect before they could work on something more exciting.

At the end of the lesson Serena clapped her hands before the girls could scatter off. "Ok girls, you did well today, I know it was a lot of hard work, but I do think since we have a special guest, we should give them a special treat. What do you say?" They had all been excited and asked Darien a thousand questions, wondering if he danced and if he was going to dance with them like Andrew and Michelangelo sometimes did. Michelangelo more often than Andrew, but Darien shook his head no, he wasn't much of a dancer, especially when ranked among the other two it was completely unfair. Serena couldn't help but think that was a lie. She'd seen him move, he was seductive in his own right and his gait was smooth. If he wanted, he could be an amazing dancer if he found the right genre.

"Would you like that Darien?" One of the girls asked and Darien lifted his head to look at her.

"I'd be honored if you girls would like to show off for me." He closed his computer to prove it.

Serena smiled and spun around towards the table, changing cds until she found the right one. "Since you've seen me do a tango and a hip hop number, I'd like to showcase something different for the girls. It's a bit classic..." Serena warned. "Especially as today none of the guys decided to show up." Big surprise there, there seemed to be an epidemic keeping the males at bay today. "It's from Coppelia, a famous ballet in the dance world, though not as famous to those outside of it." Serena frowned at that notion. "Personally one of the only ballets I really liked growing up."

"You did ballet?" Darien asked in surprise, it seemed so rigid and formal and had so many rules, so unlike the Serena he knew. Serena could understand that. She detested rules and formality, she preferred sitting on a couch while working than at a desk, but it didn't mean she couldn't follow them.

"I liked all different kinds of dances." Serena shrugged. "My ballet instructor was shocked when he first found out about that, but over time could see how it was good to be both highly technical and free flowing. Unlike a lot of the other girls, it allowed me to be creative and what kept me in dance longer." She had the long thin legs for it and though she was slim elsewhere, it wasn't a curvy shape, she had too many stomach muscles, but she was boxy either like some dancers. She was just pretty straight down with an indent at her waist. So she still had one.

"I'm excited to see it." Darien said honestly. He had been glad for his computer because the lesson had looked boring but now that there was dancing, he was game to watch.

"Girls, we'll start at the chorus for this piece, after the boys all move off to the sides." Serena grinned. "It's the girl show now."

And the music started. It didn't start out as the most exciting number and the girls all formed from a v to a grouping and the only thing that moved then were their feet. Tiny little movements but all the way up on their tiptoes. Then just as suddenly they all stopped for a few breaths. Then they were moving again and they all moved in the exact same way, their arms flowing about in a graceful and pointed manner. It was beautiful to watch. They were all equal when they danced this. They were all the same and one group. The music picked up and so did their speed and movements. All too soon they were done.

Darien clapped and praised them all on a job well done. They were all such beautiful dancers. Then they all filed out, saying goodbye to Serena and thanking her for her time and help. Serena turned to Darien and looked at him curiously. "So what did you really think?"

"Truthfully?" He sat back and looked at her, weighing his words. "For ballet, they did a remarkable job. I didn't see any obvious flaws, but ballet isn't really my favorite type of dance. It seems too... piece mealy for me and a bit boring and long."

"I understand." Serena responded, and she did. "I never understood ballet as a whole, a few things are gorgeous and a few are really funny and flow well. But then there are these random moments and songs that are just there to show off how good some girls are at dancing or some boys and it doesn't seem to really belong in the story. It's like ten minutes of just dancing with no purpose. I'd rather them just have dancing and no story if they're going to do that. But this story is rather funny and has purpose and a point. The part I showed you, that's actually the bridesmaids walking down the aisle and bridesmaids do show off as they do it, so they might as well get a single dance for them in something about dancing."

"I get that now." Darien chuckled. "Truthfully the only ballet I was aware of was the Nutcracker and that was interesting for all of the first time I watched it and every time after that I wanted to gouge my eyes out."

"We have that in common at least. Then it was all about Swan Lake and personally I preferred the musical to it." Darien laughed at her words but Serena was looking at him with a look he couldn't quite decipher. "Are you really a bad dancer? I can't believe that its something that would ever get you down. You seem too perfect to have a flaw like that."

Darien rose fluidly to his feet and came around to her side of the table. "Perhaps its best to let the teacher be the judge of that." He flipped through the list of songs she had on the cds and picked the best one. "By the way, I'm surprised you're not using an ipod or smart phone for this."

"Older technology, what can you do?" Serena gave a small shrug and a gasp escaped her when he pulled her to him as the notes started. "This isn't a tango." Serena commented picking up on what he wanted to do right away.

"No, it's not." He grinned. "Welcome to my world." He took a step between her feet and spun her around in a circle without breaking form. Then once they were in the middle of the floor, he started in to the real steps for the song. "And I didn't cheat by getting one that tells you what to do."

"Like, one hop this time." Serena gave a little bounce in her step as she tried to follow his moves, pretty easy when he was good at leading, but this wasn't a genre she had ever spent much time in. "Country boy."

"Uh-uh, Mountain man." He teased.

"No way, that's a nickname I supply for Drew." Serena realized she'd misspoken as soon as she misstepped and realized that Darien had stopped dancing. She'd broken the cardinal unspoken rule between them, no talking about Andrew and she'd been talking about him a lot recently, using him as a way to keep Darien distant and her own heart safe. "Darien, come on, you have to finish the dance."

"No, you were right, I was overstepping again. Andrew is your Mountain man, I'm just a country boy that happened to bring the two of you back together." He gave an exaggerated bow. "Good day to you, Miss Serena, thank you for reminding me of my place before I got carried away." Then he turned and gathered up his stuff, forgetting the very reason why he came in the first place.

Serena could have called out for him and remind him but she stayed her tongue. Bethany should have been gone by now. Serena finished up with the typical clearing and organizing so it would be easier when she came back the next time. She calculated mentally the first foreseeable moment she could escape this place and give Andrew the out he needed. Five more months. How on Earth would she ever survive it? She picked up her laptop and turned to go out the door. She was locking up just as she realized she wasn't alone. Turning as if she was about to be jumped, she was relived to learn the identity of the person waiting for her. "Darien." She greeted. "What are you still doing here?"

"I'm surprised at you, thinking I would actually leave you when Bethany is on the loose?"

"You left and remembered and so you came back, didn't you?" Serena lifted a blond brow at him and he grunted.

"Got it in one."

Serena giggled and hip-checked him. "Come on then, imperfect, the sooner you get me to the lodge the sooner you can leave for real." The walk back was silent and then Serena lifted her head to look at him. "It was a lot of fun dancing with you Darien, you should do it more often. You're a good partner."

"You did formidably well for never doing it before. That was one of the harder dances and you still caught on and followed along."

"I've never really had to do western but it is similar to a lot of other dances in some ways."

"That's probably true. I wouldn't really know." Darien shrugged and then opened the door for her at the lodge. "Well, this is where I leave you." He gave her only the tightest of smiles and turned around and left her.

Serena gave a heavy sigh and went in, looking forward to whomever she could find in the restaurant. Some who would at least appear happy to talk and see her.

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EAN: So the bit about Coppelia, I don't really know the whole story and I just found a dance that would work for this bit, but I made up what the rest of its storyline was. I hope you aren't too upset any dancers out there. I don't mean to offend. I don't know too much about ballet, but I do appreciate how difficult it really is.

EAN2: For anyone thinking that Darien should just call her on things, don't, only the audience is aware, intentionally, that there is more than meets the eye between Andrew and Serena, and perhaps Michelangelo. Darien's just... with Serena, he thinks they're in it for good. As you'll find out later, maybe, Darien's under the belief that marriage is sacred and he doesn't believe in divorce for the sake of divorce. It's that small town in him but he's also aware by living in a big city for almost as long as he'd lived there, that affairs happen and divorce happens. He doesn't have to like it to be trapped in it but he doesn't want to cause a divorce, but he obviously still wants Serena. Or does he? His Ranch's scene could just be a drinking male, being a drinking male. I only mention this here because I've outlined the rest of the story and there's more chapters left than I had realized, but that's only because this story is rounded and has some interesting developments that will happen. :)

P.S. If Eight and Jade can write two whole epic stories with only a few kisses, you have to be happy with me! Hahahahaha...


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Special Update! (You guys always get an update right before I go on a trip. :D )

AN: This is to guest: Longer chapters? You're killing me! In 14 chapters, I wrote 128 pages. (That's how long some of my longer stories are!) That's what... a little more than 9 pages per chapter? 10,000+ words! Hahahaha... thanks though, I'm sure I can supply that on occasion. :) Keep reviewing!

AN2: This is to AM: I love getting your reviews, they're great! I hope to keep getting them, they're the kind of reviews I love to get!

AN3: All my other reviewers, you write great reviews too! It's a different story where all I get out of five reviewers in a row are three words long and the same as the chapter before. If I get 3 words. Sometimes it's just: "more". Love getting reviews, but when I get a 'new review' message I'm excited and then I feel deflated after that... sigh... BUT you guys are great and write great reviews, always makes me happy to see them, and makes me write you better chapters! (Or write them at all) Hehehe...

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There was only moderate improvements between Darien and Serena in the next week that followed and it was fine just the way it was, Serena supposed. She was always super chipper and gushed as much as she could, but it was hard to do as it was so counter-intuitive to her personality. She definitely would never be considered a method actress. She couldn't hold character for long periods of time and she really hadn't done real acting since high school. When she had to plaster on a happy face after a few months into it. People were expecting her to 'get over it' and not be so sad all the time, they were starting to get fed up with her random bouts of tears, so to make things easier all around, Serena pushed them all to the side and started grinning and laughing and joking around. The only time the tears came at school anymore was when it was needed in the plays they preformed. People always praised her for a job well done but she had always flocked to it as a way to express her real emotions. They always say put part of yourself into every character, use your real emotions to get something out of the script and to the audience.

By high school's end, she didn't need it anymore. The tears stopped coming so often and she was able to cope in other methods. So she didn't sign up for any performing schools and she even decided dance wasn't her career plan and looked into other things. That's where she was first introduced into the world of advertising and because of that one class, everything unfolded into what it was now.

She looked out at her students and wondered if any of them would make it big. Sometimes it didn't matter where you came from, it only mattered the heart and soul of a dancer. Any one of them could be the next big dancer and sometimes it was only their world that they were praised in, but they were praised. Michelangelo was in among them today lifting some of the girls, showing the boys how to do it, or giving the girl the lift she deserved after a run that had her flying. Serena's eyes strayed to Hotaru, she was a passionate girl, but dancing wasn't her thing. Neither was gardening, she wasn't going to take after her mother's path in life. Perhaps though Hotaru had something else she might be good at.

Serena walked over to the girl and hunkered down so she was eye level with her favorite pupil. "Do you love this?" She asked, Hotaru hadn't even put much effort into dancing or outdoing the other girls. Dance was a competitive sport, even in the least competitive arenas and Serena tried to make it comfortable and possible for all of them.

"No." Hotaru sighed in honesty. "I don't. I thought I would because we don't have it in school but its too technical, too tiny detail oriented. I know those details make for a beautiful performance but its not for me."

Serena nodded along, encouraging her to continue talking. "Ok, how about we make a deal?" At Hotaru's acceptance, Serena continued. "You do the show on Christmas Eve and then in the spring we search for your real passion?"

"Sounds great. But will you still teach the others?" Hotaru looked at a few of them. "Some are amazing."

"I will until the Spring ends but then, who knows. Someone better might have come along to teach everyone a dance or two."

"You never know." Hotaru shook her head. "We'll never have anyone as wonderful as you. You're kind to all of us and you work well with all the others who have helped out at your insistence."

"They'll still be here." Serena vowed. "And they'll continue helping you best they can, but we all have to move on eventually."

Michelangelo came to them and his hands rested on Serena's shoulders, but he was looking at Hotaru. "She's right. She's already spent far too much time here with us, we need to let her spread her wings and accomplish all she can before its too late. We don't want her to look back on her life with regrets, do we?"

Hotaru wiped away a few stubborn tears and shook her head. "No. But what if she regrets not staying here with us?"

"I might, but we can always keep in touch and I'll try to help you no matter where I am." Serena reached out to calm the girl but Hotaru pushed her hand away.

"You're just like all the other adults, making us trust you and then abandoning us."

"I resent that little one. I've been here for years." Michelangelo cut in. "Serena was just doing everyone a favor this year. It was always temporary, everybody knew that going in."

"_I_ didn't know that." Hotaru argued. "Andrew's staying forever, why can't Serena?"

Serena smiled weakly. "Andrew and I... we both have different life paths to follow. But it doesn't mean that we'll be separated. No matter where we are, we'll always be the same as we are right now."

Michelangelo's eyes slid to her, but he didn't say anything, probably disapproving on her choices in life, again. Serena felt her back stiffen a little, where did any man get off telling her what she should or shouldn't do? Even well meaning people in her life didn't know her and didn't have her thoughts and feelings to easily understand and pick choices. Maybe she wanted to do something different, who knew, but it was up to her to decide.

With that thought in her head she walked forward. "I may or may not be here next year, that shouldn't matter. You won't be in this class soon enough, it isn't your passion and I can't help you with any other passion you might have. I can help you find it, but it is up to you to perfect it. This is the only thing I know how to do well enough to teach. I wouldn't be seeing much of you anyway. It'll be all right. I'll email you and facebook you and that isn't until another six months from now. So you don't have to worry."

Hotaru sighed and her bottom lip jetted out. "Fine." Then Hotaru packed up and left with a bit of a huff.

Michelangelo turned to Serena and Serena turned away, trying to pack up as well. He caught her hand and spun her towards him. "Serena darling, don't be cross." When she looked away he used his free hand to guide her face back towards him. "You know I only speak the truth. I'm not dictating your life, but someone needs to be in your career corner when everyone else are cheering for you to settle down up here with a man."

"Will you settle?" Serena asked.

"I've made the mistake to not allow a woman the option of career. It might have meant that mine wasn't quite so bright, but I would have been married and happy and probably with a family. I regret that, I do, I asked for her to follow me and allow my multiple interests be the base of our relationship. She was unhappy doing so and we didn't last. She was fine with the travel but she wanted her own career. If I meet another woman as great as that one, then I will let her have a career first and if seeing her requires cutting back on my own, I might just accept it. I have more money than I need and I'm only filling in time with things I enjoy doing. I don't do it for the fame or the money, I do it for the fun and what doors can be opened because of it."

"What if she doesn't want a career?" Serena questioned. "What if she just wants to stay home and raise babies?"

"I thought that's what all women wanted, but now I know better. I'd have her do what she wanted, but also look for a career and if at any point she wanted to pursue something for herself, she very well could." Michelangelo looked down at her with a pointed gaze. "Know any woman like that?"

"It isn't me, as you've pointed out a hundred times and in different ways."

"No, I know that. You're my best friend." Michelangelo released her. "But sometimes I can't help but flirt with you, you make it so easy."

"All right, you've made your point. I shall look into any upcoming projects, though I probably won't be leaving here to make them."

"No, dedicate yourself to this but know that this isn't the rest of your life. Have a story to tell when you go back."

"Have I ever told you that you're incredibly bossy?"

"All the time." He threw her a wink and then started in on cleaning up. Serena rolled her eyes and helped. "We've got that ski competition tomorrow. Winner gets a free night's stay and a massage."

Serena sighed in happiness at the thought of a free massage. "Does it have to be on skis or could it be anyone?

"What are you thinking?"

"Bobsled. At least that's protected a bit and so even if I can't steer or stop it, I will be ok."

"Unless it rolls." Michelangelo laughed at her idea. "But that is something. Perhaps I should suggest that."

Serena froze in what she was doing, her eyes glazing over as she thought about the very real possibility of him doing so. Then she started laughing. "Just imagine the people! What on earth they would do if given free reign to do as they pleased with other people's property. I'm pretty sure someone would end up in equal halves."

Michelangelo allowed his own imagination free reign and he started chuckling as he saw the same image Serena did. "Yeah, maybe not. We wouldn't want to be sued for suggesting a dangerous activity." Michelangelo could hardly keep a straight face at that statement and Serena shouldered him in amusement.

"Come on." She winked. "You can do better than that."

"Are you a triple threat?" Michelangelo took her hand and spun her around.

"Oh? And what three things are those?"

"Beautiful." He began and took a step forward, forcing her to take one back.

"No way." Serena shook her head. "I have been called many things in regards to my looks, but beautiful isn't one I've heard."

"You're just being modest." Michelangelo took a step back and Serena followed. There might not be any music, but they were just having fun. "Smart."

"Not as smart as many of the people here."

"There must be something done about this low self-esteem." He shook his head. "How are you ever going to get a career started if you don't believe in yourself?"

"Oh, I believe in myself." Serena grinned. "Just not the ones that you've deemed to describe me. And if you tell me I'm funny or witty next I'll walk out, there is absolutely no way you are talking about me. Must have me confused with some other girl."

"I could, but I won't." He spun her again and caught her before she went too far into the next turn and dipped her. "My third word for you is talented."

Serena lifted her head so her eye-level was no longer with the floor. "These sound more like statements than a question."

"Yes, but I think it'll be more fun to learn if you're a triple threat later on, in a more public venue." Michelangelo lifted her out of the deep bow over his arm. "I already know two of the three are true. I've only had to watch you."

"I'm not denying the talented accusation." Serena slipped away from him and turned for her jacket. She froze as she realized they'd had an audience. Hotaru's eyes were huge as she stared into Serena's face. "Hot-"

"Sorry, the two of you sounded busy. I just wanted to come back and apologize for my earlier behavior. I know that this isn't your home. I-" Hotaru caught up with her rambling. "Oh forget it!" Then she spun on her heel and went running off. Serena didn't see which direction as she struggled to switch her shoes into her boots and throw on her coat.

"Serena, stop." Michelangelo caught her wrist before she went flying after the girl. "She could tell anyone she wants that we were dancing, it won't matter because that's all it was."

"But it looked-"

"Like we were having a conversation while dancing." Michelangelo soothed. "We both know that, and we can both testify to it. I'll be believed, and Hotaru won't say a lie. She wants you to stay around, telling everybody a lie would just get you fired. She probably won't say anything at all."

"Maybe but she's partial to Andrew. He's been her ski instructor as she's leveled up quickly. She's been his special project." Serena halted, she hadn't realized she knew that about the girl. And now she figured out what Hotaru was passionate about, just neither realized it. "Oh."

"Andrew-" Whatever Michelangelo began to say, he seemed to reconsider it and shook his head. "She won't want to hurt him." Michelangelo caught her hand and turned her back around. His eyes scanned hers. "Can we talk about that?"

She held his gaze for a long time and then shook her head. "Can't, I promised Andrew and I'm going to keep that promise if it kills me. I've already done so many wrong things in regards to so many people and policies since I've gotten here. I refuse to be the one who does that too. He's so very special to me and I want to help him in whatever way I can."

"You haven't really done anything wrong. Why would you say that?"

"Just being myself and being true to me has lead me into all sorts of problems and wrong directions. I've had to deal with suspicion and accusations and a variety of temperaments since I've gotten here. I'm used to certain accusations and tantrum throwing but nothing like this. These are actually based on some truth." She was close to tears and she refused to let them fall. It had been so much drama since she set foot onto these grounds and she couldn't tell anyone anything. She couldn't even hint at it.

Michelangelo frowned at her trying to hold back and he gathered her into his arms and put her head against his chest. "Cry, let it all out. I might not know details but I think I understand and your secrets are safe with me." And she could be true with him, for the most part. For despite all her lies and appearances he had seen through her the first moment they met. She wished it was that easy for her to read people. So she did as he suggested and the tears found their way to her cheeks. He just held her.

When she was over the worst of it, he tipped her head back and ran his thumbs under her eyes, removing any traces of the liquid. Most of it went onto the cloth at his shoulder, but there were still a few lingering tears. "Feel better?" He asked and she nodded. "Good. Come to me if you need anything, even if its just a cry."

"I can't believe I'm your best friend. Is that just for here or in general?"

He laughed and tapped her on the nose. "Fishing are we? Well, truth be told, I don't make a lot of real friends. Sure I have a lot of deals and people do me favors all the time and hire me on, but I wouldn't consider a lot of them friends. The only people in the world I would consider a real friend are here in this town and of them I would only rank Mina as a good friend. She and I have a lot of fun and get along well, but that's about it. She's too focused on events and event planning and her head is off in crazy-ville half the time. You are similar to her and you are similar to me and you are very down to earth with lofty ideas. I've seen all the small things you've done around here to try and help people. You are a do-gooder. I like that about you. But you don't do it for the recognition." He shook his head in amazement. "Where did you learn to be like this?"

"My mother, and if you'd believe it or not, Andrew's sister, Lizzy. They were two strong influences in my life. My mother was a doctor with the doctors without borders program and in her spare time when she was home often volunteered at charity works and soup kitchens and tried to donate whatever she could to the causes she was passionate about, or what someone else showed they were passionate about." Serena grinned. "Lizzy on the other hand is surrounded by little kids all day every day. She works at a school and after that an after-school community center with an outreach for kids and young adults and you wouldn't believe the wonders she's done for them. Then on the weekends she sometimes volunteers for reading at the library, attending birthday parties as a hired entertainer, and sometimes even helps to build houses and playgrounds."

"Sounds like two amazing women." Michelangelo smiled down at her. "You've surrounded yourself with friends and family who have big hearts and warmth. Andrew is that way and I'm pleased that at least in that aspect you've chosen right."

Serena's lips twisted but she never got to respond to that blatant point. There was a knock on the door and Serena pulled away from Michelangelo while she answered the door. She hoped it wasn't obvious she'd just been crying. Mona was on the other side. The woman gave her a tight lipped smile. "I just saw Hotaru, she was stomping upstairs and slammed the door shut in my face. Did something happen today at dance?"

Serena hesitated and then opened the door wider. "It's a long story." And Serena gave the woman all the points she could without incriminating anyone of wrongdoing or potentially in that manner. Not that there was any, today.

Mona sighed and clasped Serena's hand. "It's all right. Please feel free to continue using this room until Spring."

"Thank you." Serena paused, waiting for more but nothing was coming. "Tell Hotaru that I'd still like to be friends, if that's what she wants."

"I'm sure she'll be fine in the morning. She's not used to a lot of disappointment. But she does go on and on about you. She thinks that you and Andrew make the perfect couple and has decided that your relationship is the ideal one that she strives to have some day in the future."

Serena felt her gut twist at the compliment. "Thank you." She managed to wheeze out around the hurt. Mona shrugged and with a wave disappeared out the door again. Serena turned to Michelangelo. "Best if we leave, before any more surprises come through that door."

Michelangelo nodded, agreeing with her. He wasn't too pleased by Mona's announcement. He held open the door for her. "After you."

–

Serena decided she just needed a break from _everyone _and that weekend she got her wish, for a little while at least. That weekend, Andrew was patrolling in the back bowls, Darien was at his ranch. Michelangelo and Mina were organizing and maintaining the skiing event of the month. Raye was lying down somewhere not feelings well, Lita was in the kitchens, Nashashuk was maintaining the machines and helping out with odds and ends and Amy was off with Zolton at his place, but Serena was the only one aware of that detail. Those two sure did move fast, but then again they had been doing a courting dance for years before Serena nudged them in the right direction. But all of that meant that Serena was finally left alone.

She had just gotten an email that spelled out either possible danger or exciting development. Jace's parents had emailed her back. They were curious about what she had written them in regards of a talent scout. He was still young enough that there could be sponsors and big time deals for his passion and hobby as they called it. They were not pleased that Jace put off schooling and a career for this little time waster but they paid for it and were excited if he could somehow make money off of it. But they were weary of a potential scam.

Serena had all the logos and documentation lined up from the lodge and ski resort, written into an email and authenticated. They could probably pay for a big talent like Jace. She'd discovered thousands of avid skiers across the nation blogging about him and if she could score a showing, and advertise it, they'd be booked solid for that week and possibly have some roll over for the next few and that could probably help spread word of mouth. Serena was lucky that Raye had gotten pregnant by a real star in the business, otherwise he might have disappeared into the blue yonder and would never be found again. There were a few problems though. One, his parents weren't exactly sure where he was at the moment, but they were the best at trying to locate him. At least he was on the same continent. The second, the internet was down again. She really needed to send it off today if they were going to look like a legitimate business, which they were, but internet was key for appearances.

Serena groaned as she refreshed the tab again but still the bars were x-d out. Here she was, on her first day, completely alone and able to have some peace and quiet, and she was dinking around on this thing. She closed it and slid it into its case. Then unplugged it from the wall and slid that in too. She grabbed up the keys to Andrew's truck and slipped the boots over her sweatpants and a coat over her sweatshirt. She would have preferred to just kick it back and relax in front of the fire with a good book and some wine, the bottle was already open and breathing, but this was more important. So instead she filled a thermos with some hot chocolate and headed for the carpark.

Snow was falling again and she glared up at it in dismay. At least so far it was only a light dusting. She transferred that look onto the beat up old truck. The chains were thankfully on it and all was ready to go. But oh how she would have loved to have Darien's brand new one with four-wheel drive and a bigger motor and altogether size. How did Andrew fit into this thing? He always had to jimmy with the seat and now Serena had to do so as well so she could begin to reach the pedals.

She put her computer into the passenger seat and climbed in. The motor turned over nicely and it started its odd rhythm. But it was a truck, what did she know about engines on these things? It sounded exactly how it did driving down from Billings. She backed out of the stall and vibrated the whole way out of town.

Once the small town was behind her, she felt her fingers gripping the wheel harder, ok so the snow had just gotten a little deeper outside the city-skirts, but that was to be expected, not many snowplows or what constituted as them out here. She drove passed Darien's ranch without problem, half of her was expecting him to appear at the sound of it, like a homing pigeon and give her a hard time about leaving. Part of her felt like this town was one of those from a horror movie, once you came, you could never leave and Darien's ranch acted as the boundary, the guard in his post, turning people back or killing them if they tried to escape.

But when nothing happened and Darien's ranch was just a distant memory and both it and the town were far behind her, Serena could feel herself relaxing and melting into the seat. It was going to be all right. She wasn't stuck in this place forever, and she realized that she feared she would be. It was the longest she had ever spent in one place after leaving high school and it had only been a couple of months. Part of her was still on that flight response and no matter how comfortable and happy she might be somewhere, she was afraid of being stuck. Michelangelo had been right, this was a nice holiday, if all the bad parts could be overlooked, and eventually she would leave here and go back to her real life. This wasn't it. Perhaps someday when she was ready to settle down, but that day wasn't today. She'd put in her time, say a warm thank you for all the memories and then kiss it goodbye.

It felt like weight was shedding off of her every mile she got out and away from Pony. She didn't realize she needed this, needed to get out and away of the small community that had welcomed her. She needed the atmosphere of a bigger city for a few hours at least. And now she thanked the blessed internet that was so spotty it was like dial-up but worse at times. If it hadn't gone down, she wouldn't have thought to leave.

Eventually Serena got to Helena, it had taken a few hours but the roads had gotten clearer once she passed the, well, pass, and were better maintained. She pulled into a coffee shop and ordered a complicated drink that came to her in a cardboard cup rather than a real large ceramic cup. Serena wrapped her hands around the flimsy thing and sank into a wooden chair with a sigh of happiness. In a perverse way she'd missed the generic, fake things she had grown accustomed to over her lifetime. Things that could be used and then thrown without a thought to what happened to it. Things that were impersonal and didn't pry into your life for every little detail. The anonymity of a city. They didn't care who she was or what she ordered, she'd be forgotten about in a matter of seconds as they dealt with the next order and anything was possible.

Since this was a nicer version of the common-place chain, it had a fireplace and Serena sipped at her five dollar coffee with a contentment. Oh yes, how she had missed this. She opened her laptop and she had full bars and was able to shoot off the email with no trouble at all. Now either later today or tomorrow she'd get a reply.

A very tempting thought entered her head in that moment. It wasn't a notion of never going back to Pony. She had made a commitment to Andrew and she honored her agreements if she could. That wasn't even an option, nor could the thought of it possibly last more than a fleeting second as her mind came up with solutions. No, besides, she didn't set all this in motion just to disappear when it was about to manifest. At any rate the temptation resided in something all together different, she thought about renting a hotel room and staying here for a day or two. She wasn't due back at work until Tuesday and even if she didn't go, she could still get her work done elsewhere, if she decided to do it. Sometimes there just wasn't anything to do and to add more would just be ridiculous. Though there were ways to advertise that she hadn't explored, or push for more, but perhaps it was best to see where what she had done took them, before they were inundated with way too many people. The rush season hadn't even ended yet to know if there was much of a difference yet or not.

Unfortunately, as she discovered as the sun set and she'd bought and drank another coffee, that she didn't have her cellphone. Andrew would be expecting her back at their rooms before too long and she didn't want him to worry. She liked to play with her cellphone while she made decisions, not on it, with it, spinning it around, putting it down, tempting herself to text but then deciding not to, but then thinking, maybe, if worded right... but this time when she reached into her purse for her phone, her hands came up with nothing. On further inspection, the same held true. In those moments she realized she left it on the coffee table next to the book she had been intending to read.

She kept her phone there as it was the only hotspot in their living room that had service. The rest of the room was devoid of it all together and she had it in case there was an emergency. Serena rolled her eyes and stretched, knowing she'd have to leave this warm space and go back out there into the cold and snowy wonderland.

Serena didn't really want to go back and she didn't really want to stay. What she really wanted was a week back in her apartment, alone and in sunny Florida, minutes walk away from the beach. She missed it a lot, missed the lifestyle she had chosen for herself. Not that she hadn't chosen this one and with that hanging over her head, she turned to pack up. She noticed her email icon was blinking and she clicked it. There were two emails, one from Andrew, no doubt asking where she'd gone and one from the DeWitts. She clicked on that one first.

_Dear Ms Moon,_

_It appears that all of your credentials and affiliation have passed. Knowing now that you are a true representative of Bridle Ski, we were delighted to hear from you regarding our son's future involvement with your resort. We'd be honored to pass along this exciting opportunity to further his growth in the ski world. We shall attempt to get into contact with him, however he has already called during his required weekly check-in and we are afraid that it shall be another week yet before we hear from him again. He does not believe in carrying a mobile device and so he must rely on the kindness of strangers or to use a landline phone to get into contact with us. We never know when he is going to call and if we miss him, he leaves a message and we do not hear from him for yet another week. So at the earliest possible moment we shall contact you again with his response. We hope that you will hold his position open and not rescind the offer. We are fairly confident that his answer will be in the positive._

_Thank you for your interest and efforts, sincerely, _

_ DeWitt Family_

Serena almost laughed in the emptying coffee shop at the formality in which these people wrote. Except for a few slips into the vernacular, it seemed almost perfect. These were people who knew what they wanted and their position in life, and nobody could look down upon them. They just wouldn't accept it.

She closed it and opened up Andrew's email. She read it quickly and frowned lightly when there were only a few lines, inquiring about her whereabouts as she'd predicted and telling her about her forgotten phone and how he would be out with a lot of the staff tonight. Now that she thought of it, he went out with the regular staff a lot. Not those in management like she did, but the lower levels. Not that it was a bad thing, quite the opposite, they seemed fun and exciting but they never invited her. She had tried to talk to them and while they were friendly, they never extended the invitation. She wondered what was wrong with her to be left out when Andrew was clearly invited. He was friends with management too. So it couldn't be because she was too connected with the upper levels. If she wasn't mistaken, she recalled Mina and Lita drinking in the only bar in town too. With them.

Perhaps it was because she was still the newest person and until someone else came in to take that title, she'd always be left out because of that. Or maybe it was because she didn't work with them at all. At least Mina while not working on events was in the rental department. Michelangelo too was up on those ski hills with them and... Serena sighed, was it really that big of a deal? She had better friends recently than she knew what to do with and she didn't need to go out with the others. She had one foot out the door anyway, so it might not matter. Besides if she wanted to go drinking with people, she could tag along with Lita and Mina, they'd invited her before.

With that decided, she wrote him back an equally short email,telling him she'd gone up to Helena and would be coming home now. It was the kind of thing she usually did, and he was probably surprised she hadn't driven up before. She didn't read his response until a few days later, when the internet was up and running again.

She opened the passenger's side and put her stuff onto the floor. Then she walked around and hopped into her side. The truck turned over when she turned the key but didn't start it made the typical metal slipping against metal when someone turned it too far and too long. She winced at both the whine and the possible damage she could do to a car and turned it off to try again. The engine roared to life but it seemed even bumpier on the way back.

An hour later and she was on the highway back. It was snow covered and even the chains kept slipping. After rightening herself out from a few times angling towards the ditch, she was sighing with relief when she got to a smoother part of the road. The radio skipped and she didn't think anything of it. Then it turned completely off and the car gave a little jerk. But while noticeable everything went back to normal once more. Then she turned onto another road and the truck locked up on her, turning completely off and slowed to a standstill.

She turned the key but nothing happened. She put the vehicle in park and turned the key again. It started and she moved slower than before and it lasted for her for another ten minutes before it shut off and refused to start even with the other tricks.

Serena banged her head against the steering-wheel. She was an hour out from Darien's ranch and that was driving. There had been nobody on the road in both directions and she couldn't even turn the car on for heat. She was loathe to opened her door to see what could be in the back. Right now it was pretty warm and toasty, but opening the door and she'd lose all that heat.

Turning in her seat she searched for anything that might be stowed behind them and found an old blanket. It was better than nothing and wrapped herself up in it and over her head. She hadn't brought a hat along and that wasn't the only thing she wished she'd had. She didn't bring it, thinking she didn't need it.

She settled in and took out her laptop, seeing if she couldn't pick up any signal. There wasn't any and she switched to playing solitaire. Best to keep herself entertained and wait for someone. It had to be at least two hours, the sun had set and she was shivering despite the heat from the computer and her layers. The computer died and she put it away before crouching down into herself to try and use her own body heat. She could have tried to walk but it was too cold and too far, the last thing she wanted was to be yelled at again for walking anywhere outside the city limits.

Serena must have nodded off for the next thing she knew she heard a tapping at the window and a light purr of a vehicle behind her. She cracked open the door with a relieved look on her features. "Howdy, you must be Andrew's wife Serena, I've heard all about you."

Serena blinked in confusion, she'd never met this woman before, but a quick glance at the truck behind her confirmed her thoughts. "Let me take my own guess, tow-truck, logo on the shirt advertising vehicle repairs- you must be Hadley Brown."

"Got it in one." She winked at Serena and the blond with the long hair had the distinct feeling she was being flirted with. "I saw his truck and for a second I thought he'd finally just given up and left it, but then I noticed a shape. What you doing sitting out here?"

"It stopped working." Serena explained. "I was driving it and it just gave out. I was on my way back into town, is that where you were heading?"

"As luck would have it, yes. I drove up to Helena yesterday and picked up some parts I needed, for this thing actually. Did you actually manage to get it to Helena?"

"Yes... it wasn't a problem until I headed back here."

Hadley was shaking her head in amazement. "You need to have a chat with that husband of yours. He never should have let you drive it anywhere that wasn't just down the street. I'd cussed him out about you driving it from Billings. That could have killed you if it'd gone out then."

"He didn't know and he didn't know I took it now." Serena didn't believe Andrew would ever let her do something so dangerous.

Hadley nodded. "Yeah, he didn't bring it in until last week, so I can believe that. But he said it sounded odd at Thanksgiving."

"We had only used it on a few occasions before that. Anyway, I hate to be rude, but I'm thankful you came by, I was starting to get cold..."

"And you fell asleep." Hadley seemed to read between the lines and pushed Serena to the passenger side of her truck. "Get in, get in and stay warm."

"Do you need any help?" Serena refused to budge at the door, Hadley was being so helpful.

"No, honestly you'd probably be in the way more than anything." Hadley shut the door on Serena once she was in and buckled then came around the other side and drove the tow-truck forward and then backed it up in front of the truck. She jumped out and was working on it while Serena felt guilty inside but in no time the other woman was done and they were driving again.

"Wait, where are you going?" Serena asked as Hadley turned off the main road onto Darien's Ranch well aware of physical location but not why, so she corrected herself. "I mean, why?"

"Well Darien's got all these top of the line engineers and mechanics that he doesn't need to hire ol' me for much, since I didn't go to school nor nothing for my education, but what do I have to say to that? Ha! Who needs to be sitting around a boring dusty classroom all day when they can be getting their hands onto the stuff right away and working from there. Then again not everybody has my natural ability to look at something and figure out five uses for it. I'm worth three of those guys on a sick day!"

Serena started wondering about this woman's sanity and could suddenly understand the draw she had on Mona. "Right, not doubting that..."

"So when Mr.s smart and genius and college educated needed a part they took one look at this weather and turned tail. Darien sent me out to go get it. Luckily I was on my way up for other parts too. But I don't tell him that see, let him pay for the trip and the night's stay and work, three times what I would normally charge, but he's used to it and can pay and usually slips me something extra." And here Serena was excited to meet someone who didn't love Shields. At least it was only a grudging admission and only because she wanted to keep her income. "But you, Miss Serena, wow, you impress even me, going out in this weather, and all the way up to Helena in that old clunker. That takes some real skill and bravery."

"Or foolishness and naivety. I didn't know something was wrong with the truck and I didn't think the weather was any worse than it has been. It did surprise even me though that I dared with the these roads in anything but dry, warm, sunny summer weather. Unless I absolutely had to." In a way, perhaps she did, but she doubted anyone, especially Darien would see it that way. "He won't like that you found me out of the town limits."

Hadley gave her a dismissive sound. "What were you doing up there, mind my asking?"

"I was emailing some people. At least in a coffee shop in Helena I had a fairly confident idea that the internet would work. I would have much rather been storing up my energy to fighting Darien over office space and reading a book in front of the fire."

She let out a huge laugh as she pulled up to the arch to the Ranch, the rest of it was fenced off, keeping poachers out and cattle in. "I like you, you seem like you'd put even Mr. High and Mighty into his place."

"I could say the same about you." Serena smiled. "It's nice to meet someone not floored by his wealth, looks or what he's done for this town."

"Eh, to be honest, he's just not my type... too pretty."

"Or not pretty enough." Serena bore teeth in false innocence as Hadley snapped a look at her. "Oh, I knew."

Hadley gave a slow nod. "All right, but don't let it get around."

"Not a problem. I'm a great secret keeper."

"I could tell that about you. You're not the only good reader." Hadley pulled to a halt and jumped out of the truck, stuffing her hands into her jacket and turning to the door Darien was coming out of, pulling on his jacket but not much else. Serena thought it was much too light of wear for this weather but he was still wearing more than most of his men.

Serena slowly got out of the cab too, now that she could feel all her extremities again. He was arguing with Hadley about something, but it looked to be in good sport. She could tell the moment he realized she was with. "Excuse me- Serena!" He turned to her, completely forgetting the argument. "What are you doing here? Start some kind of trouble?"

"Actually, no-"

"Decided to walk off again?"

"No- Look if you'd just let me-"

"Her truck broke down." Hadley cut in and when Darien turned to look at Hadley, Serena gave the other woman a betrayed look. She got a wink in response. "She called me in town and I came by to pick her up, but I knew I had to drop off this part for you before I could drop her off at the lodge. It just made more sense this way, help get her out of the cold first."

"But you were coming from Helena." Darien argued.

"Nope, got back earlier today, thought I could help out. The part came in earlier than expected but you weren't going to be at the house if I came earlier than agreed."

"She could have just walked to the lodge. It would have been faster." Darien was looking for fault in this logic. Probably anything to paint her in a bad light.

"I still had to wait for her to come and tow the truck. I figured why not go with her, give me a chance to really get to know the resident genius mechanic." Serena threw out there and Hadley grinned at the compliment and the poke at his need to hire outsiders that they didn't need.

"Look, they're German parts and they're not just cars and trucks. I figured it best to keep you on helping out the rest of the population of Pony rather than monopolize your time on these things. I'm sorry if you're offended." He told Hadley, ignoring Serena for now. "If it makes you feel better if my truck does break down I'll bring it to you."

"But not the sports car?" Serena tossed in there. He gave her a clear look to thank her for how utterly unhelpful she was.

"And if the car is here, you can fix it too if it ever breaks down or needs maintenance."

"Ah, it's not here?" Hadley looked more disappointed about that than anything else. "I liked that car."

"Yes, well, we can't all have what we want." Darien turned to look at Serena. "I'm glad you hadn't done anything that had put you in danger. Probably best if you wait inside the house."

"I'm just handing over a part, she can wait in the cab." Hadley spoke for Serena who would have said something similar. Darien hesitated, not liking this.

"I can give her a lift. I should probably go in to see my sisters today."

"They love you and that you're around, but perhaps you should give Raye some space." Hadley suggested digging into the bed and looking for the part that was for Darien's broken machine.

"Besides, you've got to deal with the ranch today." Serena added trying to lessen the blow, he was only staying around because of his sisters, really, and if he thought they didn't want or need him, he might leave. And call her selfish but she didn't want that. His other reasons could no longer apply, she'd proven herself over and over again. On the other matter, it was best if he left so they didn't have a repeat incident like they'd had last time she was here. But she didn't want him to, she wanted him to stay.

"Thanks Serena." He saw right through her efforts and he was thanking her for trying. "I know I can be too big brother, so I'm not hurt. Raye and I have a testy relationship anyway, all three of us are too similar. I'd really like to give you a ride in."

Serena could see both the siblings personalities converging in him, but there were parts of him that were definitely raw Darien. Maybe he got some of that from his parents or just because of the true test of character he'd gone through at a young age. "Not today." Then she slipped around and shut the passenger's door with a decisive click.

The windows had fogged up a little and so she couldn't see his face with that response, but she didn't want to argue or deal with him today. She was finally getting back to center and he'd ruin it. Unless he was going to be strictly nice to her, but she didn't think so. Probably berating her for taking the truck out in the first place.

Hadley handed Darien the part and got in her seat too. Darien came around and knocked on Serena's window. She rolled it down and he leaned in towards her. "Take care of yourself, ok? I worry about you when I can't see you." He gave her a smile and she could understand that so she nodded, melting a little in her resolve. His voice got lower for her ears only. "I've missed you today too. Everyday I don't see you, I miss you." Serena was looking at him in shock when he waved goodbye and started walking away. "See you two later."

Hadley pushed the button for her window to roll back up and turned in the space available and went back out through the arch and towards the town. Hadley was laughing at nothing Serena could understand five minutes later. "Sorry, but Mona's told me so much about you, but I have the feeling she's only seen your nice side."

"You mean Mona's the one that told you about me?" Serena thought for sure there were other sources and that Mona wouldn't waste her breath talking about Serena when she was with Hadley.

"Yeah, she's really appreciative of your time and attention you've given Hotaru. Besides, how couldn't I hear about your daring rescue of the girl?"

Serena laughed and shook her head. "I used to swim with some lifeguards and we went to some pretty cold locations when we were needed. I'd say it was about the same as those times with the added bonus of having an ice sheet above you on the way out."

"Still, it is pretty amazing what you've done. That's why I won't charge you for a tow and will only charge Andrew for parts. Hotaru loves him too."

"Oh please, I didn't do it for any special favors. She needed me and I acted. Any adult would have done it if they were close enough."

"Not any adult, only brave ones with at least an idea that they could survive it. It took a lot of courage to put yourself in harms way for someone else." Hadley pulled in front of the lodge. "Now, no more arguing and get out." But she had a smile on her face and Serena thanked her before going around to her truck and getting everything she needed. Hadley was there to offer assistance but she wasn't needed, Serena didn't have that much.

"Thank you again for your help."

"No problem, the truck will be at the shop and I'll drive it back when it's done. See you around Serena." Hadley got back in her truck and towed Andrew's behind it. Serena went back in, with a clear thought forming. Perhaps she could have her wine now.

* * *

EAN: So this is just a joke/coincidence and has nothing to do with this story, but on the Sims I have mixed all their names up together but Serena and Andrew ended up married because Darien was planting. Hehe... Way to miss out Darien, sheesh...


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

It was two weeks before Christmas and Serena and Darien were sitting on opposite sides of the room, but every once in awhile they'd look up and shared a smile of acknowledgment that they were looking at one another, yet again, before pulling their gaze away and going back to what they were doing. They were doing better, but it was still rocky ground and it seemed Amy's advice had been the best, for when they did talk, they were overly cheerful with one another. Serena thought that would have ended after the western dance fiasco.

Serena had gotten another email from the DeWitts and it was only a short one telling her that they had gotten a hold of Jace and that he should be contacting her soon. They'd forward the email to him. In fact just after she closed the email from his parents, she found his buried in the rest. His email account didn't even have his name on it, but its subject line told her exactly who it was.

_Serena,_

_I have received the offer you have sent my parents in regards to my possible debuting at Bridle Resort. I have to admit I was surprised to hear from them. Now I must ask _you_ is this a joke? For if it is, it's not very funny and I do not appreciate it._

He didn't even sign his name.

Serena frowned at the notion, his email was a little rude and she couldn't understand why he'd respond back so harshly. She jotted out a quick response.

_Mr. DeWitt, _

_I assure you this is not a joke. I have been hired on to improve the lodge's occupancy rate during the small dip in the season, and I think you would be a beneficial talent to have on hand. We could pay you well for showing your skills either in an individual talent showcase or with others of similar caliber._

_Serena Moon _

They heard some noise outside the office a few hours after that email. Serena hadn't gotten much done and in fact she was starting to nod off because she was so bored. She had hit a rut with ideas to sell this place to people over the winter season. She didn't think she'd be around for the summer on and so didn't know if she should really start working on that, but she did look for some type of spring promotional. A few were ski related and others were ice and melting mountain specials, but she understood that time of the year less than at any other point. At least fall had color.

The noise gave her something to do and she got to her feet to investigate it. Darien joined her. "I can get it." When she reached for the handle to the door his hand covered hers and put it back to her side.

"Let me." Darien said. "It might be Bethany back to cause trouble." Since he might have been right, Serena let him handle it and took a step back.

They were both surprised to see Mina on a step ladder. "Oh. Hehe... Um this is unfortunate." Mina lowered her hands and since Darien was so close, she leaned forward and wrapped her arms around him and gave him a big loud smacking kiss.

Darien was shocked for all of a moment before he was swatting her away, a lot gentler than if it was someone he couldn't stand and wasn't a friend. "What are you doing?"

"Mistletoe. I was putting it up anywhere there might be people. Usually I can't put it up, up here because nobody is ever in here." Then Mina scowled. "Now I'll have to move it somewhere else, because you've seen it and me doing it."

"Mina the only two who would be kissing under it would be the two of us, and that's highly inappropriate everyday." Serena told her a little annoyed.

"That's not true Andrew and Michelangelo have been up here, Zolton too. I'm pretty sure Raye's popped in once or twice. Then some redhead too, I didn't catch her name but she came and went pretty quickly."

Darien ran a hand down his face in annoyance. "So you'd be having me kiss my sister or men?"

"Or Serena!" Mina was bright and turned on him. "Besides, you got a kiss out of me, didn't you and I'm neither one of those two piles."

"Just take it down. I don't even like Christmas decorations." Darien ordered. "Keep it away from here."

"Fine." Mina sulked as she took it down and packed up her stuff.

The two inside went back to their desks and intended to go back to work. Darien lifted his head and looked at Serena and after a moment she noticed and gave him a questioning look. "You do know that we have ice fishing, ice trekking and climbing _and_ dog sledding and training up here, don't you? Not in Pony but a lot of the people come down from higher up and use small towns like these to recharge. Think about advertising to them or people who'd be interested in that stuff."

"You have huskies?" It might have seemed like Serena didn't hear the rest of that but she was sold on the dogs.

"Puppies too." Darien acknowledged. "Want to see them?"

"I would, but the truck's still in the shop. How did Andrew get down here in the first place?"

"He got a ride with Ton. He'd just gotten back from a visit home and they'd arranged to be at the airport at the same time. I asked Amy when Raye was having a mood not to be asked any more questions and Amy explained it. I was curious why the two of you only had the one car but you came separately. Why didn't you know that?"

"I guess I forgot about Zolton. Now that you've said it, I recall him saying he was getting a ride with someone from town."

"Oh. As for the puppies, I can drive you up there."

"Would you?" Serena's eyes brightened in excitement and Darien was caught and unable to speak, he could only nod dumbly. He could wonder all he wanted about why he suggested it, but he knew he'd get a reaction similar to that and he always wanted to see those eyes glowing in excitement and happiness. "That's wonderful, thank you!"

"Yeah, we can go sometime after Christmas." He turned his attention back to his computer but then he looked up right away again. "I have a couple of trucks that don't get used as much as they should, old technology or too new for what we're doing and they sit around. If you need to use one while yours is in the shop, feel free. All you have to do is ask. You can even go back up to Helena if you want, it shouldn't give you any trouble."

"How'd you know that?" Serena demanded, catching the secret shared even if it wasn't the point.

"Know that you went to Helena? I asked Andrew about the truck and he shared a whole lot. Thankful that you were in town before it broke down, he'd been worried when you didn't respond to the email and was going to borrow a lodge truck to find you when you showed up. He hadn't known you were going to Helena until you were heading back."

"He was out drinking with his buddies."

"I can't tell you anything about that. I didn't talk to him until the next day."

Serena frowned, unable to help but wonder about that but for being a mountain man he sure did have a sophisticated phone equipped even with GPS tracking. She supposed it helped if you were able to get service out there, which out here was spotty at best. He could have easily written the emails and then just when he was about to leave his friends, someone could come in and tell him they'd seen her in the lodge. She wished her phone had those capabilities sometimes but like the technology she currently had, even that would probably fail her just when she needed it the most. So having decided all of that, Serena shrugged, it didn't really matter.

Today though, technology seemed to be working fine. People seemed to be on their game as well. For as soon as Serena sat back at her computer and checked her emails again, this time for notice on the latest promotional gift, pens that the customers could keep with their name on the trunk, she had gotten a response from Jace.

_Serena,_

_Interesting name, that. Are you good at keeping the peace? I suppose I'll find out first hand. On December 18, I shall be in Jackson Hole enjoying one of my favorite well known ski resorts. If you are who you say you are, then you should meet me there. I will then consider your offer if you meet my standards. Mind you, only consider, based on what you have to say. You do not have to respond to this, for I sure won't be responding again. You will either be there or not._

_J.D. _

Serena stared at the email. That was in one week. At least he finally gave his initials even if the tone was still pretty hostile. He didn't give a time or exact location and she didn't know how they'd meet up or how he'd even know she was there. So she had to figure on being there as soon as or just before the resort opened up and camp out in one spot, probably some place he'd visit at some point. Her nose wrinkled as she realized he was rich and could probably avoid her anyway. She supposed she could check with the listings, see if he was on there for future events, and check with the hotels themselves and see if he'd gone by his own name under the registration. Then if she could, sit at his door. But he sounded and as she'd discovered trying to track him down, he didn't play by normal rules. Jace could just disappear off the face of the planet if he wanted to.

So why did he agree to see her in Jackson Hole? And a week before Christmas? She was still rereading the message, looking for any hidden clues and an idea about why he was being so caustic with her, but none appeared. Then there was somebody in front of her and she pushed the top half down onto the keyboard and looked up. Darien was looking at her in a mild inquiry, but she wasn't deceived. He'd noticed her transfixed gaze. Now it was a matter of keeping him off the truth.

"Ready to go so soon?" She asked stretching as she got to her feet.

"You don't do that enough, I imagine you used to do it all the time before I joined you."

"True, but that's when I didn't have a dance studio to practice in. Now I have both." Serena shrugged and it was partly in response to him and partly to free up the muscles in her back.

"All right, as long as you have something." Darien turned to gather his stuff and Serena did the same. "I'll walk you out."

Serena let him because she had no where to be, and even if she did, in this town it wouldn't matter if she was late. Time waited for man instead of the other way around elsewhere. Serena turned to open the door but he hung far back from her. "What are you doing over there?"

"Careful, I don't trust Mina not to have come back around and put it up anyway."

Ah, that explained it, Serena opened the door and looked up but didn't see that green stuff anywhere in the hallway. He didn't want to chance kissing her, for whatever reason he had today. "Coast is clear."

"Great." But were her ears deceiving her, or did he sound less then enthusiastic? She turned to give him a look when he joined her in the hall, locking up behind them. He didn't look back at her. They got to the bottom of the steps when Darien slipped on the bottom one and ended up sitting on it instead.

"Looks like you, Mr. know it all in winter weather have the wrong kind of shoes on. Again." She added just to make sure he knew she was only teasing him.

He had to look up at her and whatever response he was going to say didn't make it passed his lips as his face changed into one arrested. "Look up." He said as he rose carefully to his feet and she did, seeing his eyes first and then what hung above them in a very sneaky spot. "Mina's going to die for that. But we can't break tradition."

No they couldn't, could they? Lucky fellow, he got to kiss two blonds in one day. Except this time it was Darien in charge of the kiss and not Mina. His lips barely pressed against her and were already retracting when she could feel them and she thought the coast was clear and they'd managed to have one friendly kiss without either yelling at each other or turning it into a passionate brawl. But then his hands were on her hips and he was lifting her upwards so he could give her a proper one, but completely improper in their current situation.

When he set her back down again on her feet, she backed away without saying anything and he didn't either. She walked back to the lodge and he headed for his truck. It was probably best this way, to leave it like that and not make matters worse in any direction.

But Serena had a feeling that the kiss was supposed to tell her so much more, everything he couldn't or wouldn't say with words. And she wished she had gotten the opportunity to return them.

–

Things continued on for the next few days as if nothing happened. Then something else changed it, and it wasn't Serena's fault this time, she could attest to that! But it might have been, somewhat, slightly her fault, maybe, but only partially.

Andrew joined her at work that Wednesday. All freaking day.

It had started out innocently enough. "Hey Serena, I got the day off! Want to play hooky?" Andrew's large hands practically dwarfed her waist as he spun around her. Note, he spun around _her, _not spun her around. He had that much energy and exuberance.

"Oh, I wished you had told me." Serena put her hands on his so she could keep track of him, she was highly amused. "I just started this newest event/advertising venture with Michelangelo yesterday and today we're going over the fine details. I still have to draw up some ideas before I have lunch with him."

"Oh..." Andrew the big giant teddy-bear clown looked so put out at the news that her heart went out to him.

"Why don't you come with me?"

"To the office?" He seemed dubious at the prospect.

"Yeah, well it's not _really _a typical office. It's got windows of the resort on two sides and more around the corner. It's got comfy couches and its a nice place to relax if you don't have to work in it." She didn't know why she was pushing it so much if he didn't want to go.

"That sounds all right, as long as it's not a _full_ day, I'd like to take you somewhere for dinner. Somewhere not here."

"Oh, the truck's finished?"

"Not quite. Hadley still needs more parts, but she said it'll be ready by Christmas."

Serena tilted her head and looked at Andrew questioningly. "Is there some bad news you're going to share with me?"

"Nope. Just wanted to take you out. We haven't been completely alone in such a long time. I thought it'd be nice.

"Ok, I'll make sure it happens. Think this outfit is nice enough for this mysterious place you're taking me?"

Andrew stopped her before she could go on and just kept his hands on her hips. "Honestly Serena, I haven't really planned this, I was thinking for something more during the day if we both had it off, we could end up eating at a Hamburger Drive-thru."

Serena laughed. "I kind of don't mind that, I haven't had a greasy meal in a long time. That it'd be just as good as a five star restaurant."

"You are such an easy person to please. Remind me never to let you go."

She winked in response. "I don't think I'll ever need to say those words."

They were both laughing as they entered the office and Darien looked up and the first look he'd had on his features quickly vanished and she found she couldn't read either of them. He held out his hand. "Nice to see you again Andrew."

"Yeah, you too, but you don't need to be so formal with me." Andrew dropped his arm from around Serena's waist to pick Darien up into a bear hug. Darien handled it well enough, but he wasn't used to being lifted off his feet. Serena snickered to herself, she was sure that was right. "Sere says I can spend the day up here."

"I have a lot of work to get done." Darien hedged. "Serena's work might not be too difficult that she can have watchful eyes-"

"Excuse me?" But Serena's protest died under Andrew's question.

"What is it you do exactly? I mean when you're not running your sisters' lives and the ranch?" If Serena wasn't so curious herself, she would have chided Andrew on being so direct and borderline rude with his comments. But now she just teepee her fingers and rested her chin on them, waiting in avid focus. She didn't feel she could ask him any prying or personal questions, but Andrew could. He could ask whatever he wanted, but a few might get him punched.

"I- I run a few large companies and oversee a lot of their work, making sure it is in line with the image we want to present." Darien's answer seemed like a cop out and somewhat false to her ears. Sure he could make a lot of money doing that, but... it seemed boring compared to all the other stuff he had going on.

"What kinds of products do you produce?"

"I didn't say we did." Darien hedged, clearly not wanting to say too much, and Serena suddenly realized his sisters didn't even talk about his job. Did they even know what he did? When both Serena and Andrew continued to look at him with identical expectant waiting looks, he sighed and gave in. "We dabble in different things. I go to a lot of different sites and inspect hands on when I'm there but I don't need to. One of the things I own is an art gallery, another is an insurance company for the art and the last is a security firm. That's one branch of the companies I oversee. The rest aren't as interesting but they're similar."

"Isn't that illegal? Owning the company that insures the art that you commission or hold in your gallery?" Andrew wondered out loud.

"Not really, we're not buying the art, we just hold it for artists and when they sell we make a profit. If something happens to it, we investigate to discover what it was and then go from there. We might have to track down the thief to get it back but we will. We pay the artists if we discover it was a third party but can't get it back."

That sounded, well either really boring or very interesting and Serena rested a hand on Andrew's knee. Darien had a lingering glance on it but then returned his eyes to her face. "Will we really be bothering you if he stays? He won't say much, he's brought his tablet."

"No, it's all right."

The rest of the time they were there, despite Darien's polite and somewhat warm reception of Andrew, it was different. No longer were there smiles or lingering glances between the two of them. When he spoke to her it was without a single inflection to show that he was interested or teasing, it was like she'd suddenly become unattractive to him, that their history ceased to exist. And when they accidentally touched, which was few and far between, their fingers didn't hesitate or touch longer than absolutely necessary, he even pulled back as if scalded.

Andrew sat on the white couches next to her the entire time, with an exception of getting up and moving occasionally on both their parts or stretching out in a different direction to continue what they had been doing. She tried glancing out of the corner of her eye at Darien, but he seemed completely engrossed in his task and didn't even notice her stretching backwards provocatively.

She couldn't help it. It was such a cold change to his hot temperature only a few days prior. And she hated to admit it but it was a crushing blow to her ego when she so badly needed salve. But Andrew's attention was helping, slightly, even if she knew it wasn't purely directed.

Andrew noticed though and he offered her a wolfish smile when she turned her gaze back towards him. She crinkled her nose in response, but it was cute, not annoyed and they laughed a little and tried to keep their conversation on low volume so as not to disrupt Darien and his work. Though Serena knew that often times he'd sit back and chat with her recently, but today it was work centric. Maybe he had a lot to get done, maybe there were high deadlines today that she didn't know about, but for some reason she felt like the blame came back on her.

She snuggled up close to Andrew, appreciating his warmth as she worked and he wrapped an arm around her and using his free one played on his tablet. He glanced at what she was doing and offered advice on the formatting, which she thanked him for. She tilted her head up and he leaned down and gave her a light kiss. The rest of the morning passed pretty quickly.

Then there was a knock on the door and Michelangelo let himself in. "Hey Darien."

"Mich." Darien nodded towards him. "Here to take Serena off my hands again?"

"Of course. But its strictly work related today, hardly any pleasure." Michelangelo grinned and Serena turned her head around at his entrance, he winked at her and then he noticed she wasn't alone. She could see his form stiffen and straighten at the notion that Andrew was with her.

Andrew stood up slowly and assessed Michelangelo in return. Clearly not happy to see the other man, but he'd known Michelangelo would be there.

These were two big guys, in different shapes but both with big muscles and could easily knock down redwoods. Maybe not quite that big, but Andrew was an attractive Paul Bunyan and Michelangelo was a weight lifter with a neck and gorgeous face. But while Andrew was taller and technically bigger, Michelangelo for his height was all muscle without an ounce of fat. Serena looking at them now, couldn't help but think the third man in the room had the best body.

He had muscles and he was strong, but he wasn't so showy as these two. Andrew couldn't help it, it was just his size, but he kept them in good shape and he liked being active. There hadn't been any fat on Darien either, but it was a good mix between lean muscle and strength. She laughed inside though, for it someone were to take and put these men in line of size and strength, the top three were in the room with her. Nashashuk would probably be fourth. While Zolton might have been fifth, there was a bit of a distance between his shape and Nashashuk's, almost like someone was missing. Zolton was too skinny for her preference, but he had muscle tone too, but he was mostly lean muscle with a typical northern European physique. Some breadth to his shoulders, but mostly lean muscle and length.

Serena, ironically as Jace had pointed out, would have to go and play the peacekeeper. She stood and came around the couch. "Hey, right on time Michelangelo. Andrew might tag along with us, if its all right with you, he's gotten the day off."

"Er... yeah I suppose it'll be all right, he's part of the ski patrol and lessons and I'm sure he'd help out with the events again, so I guess I don't mind his opinion on matters." Michelangelo looked between Darien and Serena. "Mina's joining us too, but she's a little scared to come up here after Monday's trick... Darien sure did put the scare into her."

Andrew looked curious. "Oh? What happened?"

"Mina hung up some mistletoe and Darien had the unfortunate experience in kissing both of us on the same day due to the same bundle."

Andrew chuckled. "Yeah that sounds like her. She's always causing mischief."

Michelangelo nodded. "Yep, that's why I always look three steps ahead of me no matter where I go this time of year just because I never know where she might have put it and then I might have to kiss whoever I'm with. Up until now it was usually with her or males. Are you ready to go?"

"Sure, I just have to put on my coat and boots." Serena crossed over to where Michelangelo was and put on her dripping boots, trying to be careful not to step on the black rubber mat they'd brought in just for the snow that melted off. The outside of her coat was a little damp too as it mixed the cold and few flakes still on it with the warmer air inside. Andrew came next to her and slipped his on easily and shrugged into his camel colored heavy coat.

He was done before her and helped her with the jacket, lifting it onto her shoulders and then zipping up her front for her. He smiled at her and she smiled back. "Thanks."

"No problem." He reached out and ruffled her hair.

"See ya Dare!" Michelangelo called out as they left and they barely got a grunt in response. The door had just clicked and so Serena thought maybe it was the door that she was imagining caused the slam because it seemed unlikely that Darien would be slamming something inside, he was still working on his laptop.

She thought about going in to make sure everything was all right, but she pushed that desire aside, she was probably imagining the noise. She slipped her hand into Andrew's and his fingers laced with hers as they walked down the street with Michelangelo. Sometimes she'd hold hands with Michelangelo too, but today it seemed wrong to do so. Michelangelo and Andrew weren't looking at one another and they only seemed to talk to her. She thought this lunch was going to be doomed.

Mina was already at the restaurant when they got there and she waved in big broad arm movements at them. Not that it would have been hard to spot her. Serena released her hand from Andrew's and ran up to her friend, Mina stood up and gave Serena a big hug in greeting. There might have been rough patches between them at first going but over the last month and a half, things had smoothed out and now they were good buddies. They were too much alike not to be, Mina had just caught her on a bad day for the first meeting.

Andrew and Michelangelo were slower in coming and when they did reach the table Mina gave them both a quick hug and a chipper greeting. Michelangelo held out Mina's seat as Andrew held out hers and both slid their chairs in for them and then seated themselves. Somehow the peace was kept throughout lunch, whether it was Mina's or Serena's or a joint effort, it wasn't clear, but there were no arguments other than what to do for the up coming event they were planning for.

And surprisingly, the lunch hour, well in their case three, passed smoothly and they managed to get a lot accomplished. Andrew was a good addition into the planning committee, he knew a lot about the mountains and trails and had a good eye and opinion on matters that Serena couldn't add to, and Michelangelo knew but he just snowboarded them, he didn't know about a lot of the technical issues, especially for different levels. Mina was up on the slopes occasionally but she preferred Nordic skiing to Alpine and she could only relay the weather information and ski conditions as people told her. Andrew it seemed spent a great amount of time recently in the ski rental shop chatting with her. It was good, because then he got to meet a lot of the skiers that would be coming through and give a face for some of the red jackets that were out there and get to know the upper level students a bit more.

"Yesterday at lunch, he said the funniest thing, what was it again, Andrew?" Mina was retelling a joke, apparently Andrew and Mina often grabbed lunch at the same time. She was always there when he was taking off his skis and putting them in back and changing out of his jacket so he wouldn't be mobbed, it was the easiest and most natural thing to invite Mina along with him if she was just sitting and not doing anything else. Sometimes others joined them. Serena liked it that Andrew found a friend, his lunch breaks were usually a few hours after hers and she went with either Darien or Michelangelo.

"I can't remember." Andrew was turning slightly pink at being put in the spot light. He was sitting to Serena's left while Mina was to her right. So Michelangelo was across from her and she shared an amused look with the other man. "It was a spur of the moment comment."

"It'll come back to you probably later tonight. Just don't wake me up to tell me." Serena teased and was a little surprised when Andrew's hand came out and covered hers on top of the table. She lifted her eyes up to him and he was smiling down at her.

"I'd wake you up for something more important than that."

Serena heard rather than saw the glass break as Mina elbowed it off the table. Thankfully it was just her water glass and water dried and she didn't break it too badly as it landed on carpet and so it broke into large pieces. The waiter was over and was cleaning it up instantly but it did break into whatever Serena and Andrew were saying. Serena cleared her throat and felt a bit awkward. "I hope it didn't cut you at all."

"Oh no, I'm just a bit clumsy." Mina laughed and she wiped at her pant leg where most of the water went. "Thankfully I'm scratch resistant."

"I'll get you another glass." The waiter carted off quickly before Mina could say anything and replaced it just as fast before disappearing again.

"Well I think that concludes this meeting. Anything else you think needs to be covered?" Michelangelo broke in once the silence started to creep up on them with nothing more at the moment to say.

"Not that I can think of." Serena lifted and dropped her shoulders. Mina and Andrew copied her sentiments and the meeting was officially called to a close. They finished up whatever was left, be it wine, food or water. They paid and left together.

Andrew and Mina were chatting off to Serena's left and Michelangelo's arm was within brushing distance to her right. In fact every once in awhile, she felt them collide. She caught his hand with hers to stop it, they were walking four deep and there were bound to be collisions. He grinned down at her and was about to say something but Serena's head turned away when she felt her other hand get taken up. She looked at her hand linked together and then followed it up to the man she knew it would be, but he wasn't looking at her, he was talking to Mina.

It was a slight reminder and sobered Serena up quickly. She was slipping again, but she was a friendly, hands on person. She could blame it on her creative side, but that's just who she was. She swallowed hard, they were on the street where anybody could see them and she started to slid her hand out of Michelangelo's but he squeezed it, refusing to let her go like that.

"We're friends, Serena. Friends hold hands." He whispered in her ear.

"If the friends are both girls." Serena responded right back. "And unless you're on massive amounts of steroids, I don't think anyone would believe that."

Michelangelo let out a roar of laughter that had two other heads turn, not to mention anyone else on the street. He wiped at his eyes as he was laughing too hard. "You crack me up. I wouldn't mind if you stayed all day."

Serena laughed. "I wouldn't mind either, but someone's got to get work done, I'm not being hired to be the entertainer. That's you three."

"Ah, you entertain in your own way." Andrew teased. "You're the first face people see, whether or not they actually see your face is immaterial, but the website you've updated is the first place people go and encounter this place with. I've talked to so many people who have raved about what you've done. It's a wonder more places aren't doing it. They love the webpage and all the minor details you've thought up to make them have a more relaxing trip, and to make things easier on them."

Mina nodded, agreeing with Andrew. "They've asked me if I'm the one whose come up with all the fun details added since I'm one of the events people and I had to tell them no, the one who did that is up hiding in the best office space and has to be left alone to allow her creative juices to flow."

"I really wouldn't mind getting feedback." Serena hedged. "It'll help me to grow and see what people like and don't like so I can change it. Add more."

"Darien would never appreciate odd people stopping in all day long. He might just kick you out so he can get some work done and then you'd never get away from them, all day in and out and commenting on something you've done and not seeing the big picture when they're allowed to nitpick the small things and what you're hoping to achieve." Michelangelo the voice of reason and Serena realized he was true.

"Thanks Michelangelo that's absolutely right. I would never get anything done, always changing the small stuff before it can really contribute to the whole."

"Anyways, enough of the shop chop." Serena internally winced at the phrase. "Let's hear all about your little detour to Helena the other week. I hadn't gotten a chance to talk to you about it. What'd you go for?"

"More work stuff. I needed the internet pronto and instead of waiting for it to come back on I went up there."

"Oh." Mina's face fell. "How boring."

"I had a few coffees while I was up there." Serena offered trying to be helpful. With the thing everyone liked to do being the thing that they got paid for, it was hard to talk about anything interesting that wasn't talking about work or any drama when everybody knew each other and worked with them.

"Eh..." Mina rolled her shoulders. "I think we'd be better off just not talking about it."

Serena supposed she was right. Then Mina lightened onto a different conversation with Andrew. Serena relaxed back into the short walk to the office. Michelangelo pulled her into another conversation altogether and they were deep in a discussion about it when they got to the steps of the office/rental shop. "See you later." Serena told both of the events people as Andrew turned to go up the stairs. He waved his goodbye to them and even shook Michelangelo's hand.

She caught him before they went back in once they got to the hallway. "What's up?" He pushed back a strand of her blond hair from her face.

"I was wondering what the deal is between you and Michelangelo, why do you not like him?"

"I was a little jealous of him at first, but I'm slowly learning what a great guy he really is." That was at odds with what Serena remembered, the jealousy hadn't come about until she went skiing with him. She looked up at him with large eyes and Andrew laughed and tweaked her nose. "Come on Serena, it's not that important. I just realized I was wrong about him, that his interests lie elsewhere."

Her eyes squinted at that, what did that even mean? But she decided to let it rest, there were too many mysteries going on around her for her to keep count and try to figure out. They'd all eventually sort themselves out or someone would tell her. "Fine, let's go back in."

They entered the room and Darien's eyes shot up before narrowing and then going back to his computer screen. Andrew helped Serena shrug out of her coat and then let her use him for balance as she took off her boots. He picked her up and carried her playfully back to the couch, dropping her on the cushion. "Watch it, I like my couch. You break it, you get to take it home with you and then buy me a new one."

"Jeez Darien, don't you have a fun bone in your entire body?" Andrew asked jumping over the back of the couch and landing next to Serena.

"No."

Serena laughed, leaning into Andrew. "He does, he just doesn't like to show it too often, people might think he's going soft."

Darien's eyes rose to hers and he held them before they flickered away again. What could she do to get through to him? At any rate, Andrew was here now and they had a few more hours before she could 'log out' and they could drive to another town for dinner. And when it came time for it, Serena and Andrew both stood up and stretched. "Need anything from the apartment?" Andrew asked as they got ready to go.

"I don't believe so." Serena responded and Darien's head picked up.

"Where are you going?"

"We're going to take a company truck and drive up to Butte for dinner." Andrew explained.

"Careful, the roads were pretty icy on the drive in, they'll have melted a bit over the day and will refreeze."

"Then we'll just spend the night there, it's a big enough town that they'll have hotel rooms." Andrew took in his stride, it wouldn't be a problem. A nerve twitched in Darien's jaw at that comment though and he nodded. "Whatever you do, don't get plastered again and expect to drive."

"I won't." Andrew's tone was slowly changing to a bit ticked off. "That was Thanksgiving."

"You still would have been the cause for any harm done to Serena if you had gotten behind the wheel."

"I wouldn't." Andrew might have if Serena hadn't said she could drive herself. But she wasn't really the best person to get behind a wheel either that day.

"Let's get going, while there's still daylight." Serena put her hand on the crook of his elbow, trying to put a stop to this fight before it got started and Andrew agreed with her. "Bye Darien." She called out as they left.

"See you on Friday." He agreed even though tomorrow was Thursday. He thought they'd end up spending the night together elsewhere. But as far as he knew, it wouldn't have been any different than any other night, except maybe it was the romance behind it all.

"Right."

–

Dinner that night was amazing, it was not quite up to Lita's skill but they had access to more ingredients and they were fabulously fresh. Andrew was good company and he made her laugh through every course. By dessert, she looked over her wine glass at him and they couldn't help but smile at each other. Then coffee came. "What's this all about, Andrew? It was great, and I appreciate it, and I had a lot of fun, but I can't help but feel... I don't know, like there's something more."

He shrugged. "I had to get out of Pony for awhile. I love the place, but sometimes it's just nice to get away, get to a bigger town."

"That's true." Serena agreed. "I've felt that way on occasion since arriving."

Andrew reached out and took hold of her hand. "I feel like I have to come clean. I've been sitting on this for awhile now and I have to finally confess it."

"Oh no, you're not breaking up with me are you?" Her eyes were huge in her face and he just looked at her in return before he let out a roar of laughter. "No, of course not, it's to apologize for my behavior before Thanksgiving. I must confess there was more than just attraction to you in it."

"I had a feeling." She responded dryly. "Well what was it?"

Andrew hesitated. "Never mind. It doesn't matter. Just know that I'm very appreciative of all the help and support you've given me. I can't begin to know how to pay you back for all this."

"Drew..." Serena shook her head. "No. Don't you dare think that at all. It is I who should be paying you back for all the things you've done for me over the years. You have been amazing."

"That's what I'm here for. That's why we work so well. We should forget about all this debt we owe one another. We stick together because we like each other so much, that the rest just comes easy." He paused and took a breath. "Have I ever told you how wonderful you are? That you're kind, supportive, and just overall amazing?"

"Drew, I feel the same way about you." She squeezed his hand. "You mean more to me than you'll ever know. I love you."

"I love you too."

–

They ended up getting home very late that night and probably had more to drink than they should have followed by driving as they were a bit tipsy entering the apartment and were trying to be quiet but couldn't help but laugh. Andrew tugged Serena into his room with him and they fell asleep in his bed, with Andrew's arms wrapped around her and this situation hadn't happened in quite the same way since high school. They were just missing his sister Lizzy to make the memory complete but she was there in spirit.

The next morning, Andrew had a half day and he elected not to spend the day in the office. "Sorry Sere, but that's just kind of boring two days in a row." But he did walk her to the office and even came in to say hello to Darien. He helped Serena shrug out of her coat and hung it up for her while she kicked off her boots. When she was done, he pulled her into his arms. "Have a very good day my lovely wife." She thought it was a bit overkill with just Darien in the room, but she wrapped her arms around his neck, playing along. Poor Darien, he didn't need this thrown into his face all the time, he was more aware of her availability status than anyone else in this town.

"Thank you, and you too."

He tugged her closer to give her a goodbye kiss. Then he was detangling himself from her and gave a mild salute to Darien. "Have a nice day as well."

"Impossible." Darien muttered as Andrew let himself out and Serena whirled on her heel towards the dark haired man once the door was soundly shut.

"Good morning to you too, Darien. Did you have a restful evening?"

"No. It was quite horrible, actually."

"I'm sorry to hear that. Why is that?" She was trying to be extra polite today. She'd had a good day yesterday that only had one blemish and that was Darien's attitude.

"It was stained with the memory and unpleasant situation I had found myself in during the day, having to share company with you and Andrew." His lip lifted at the scar in a sneer that clearly showed how disgusted he was at the whole thing.

"I'm sorry my presence bothers you so much. I'll see to it to find a new place to work in the future. In the meantime I'll get out of your hair and go to the studio to work on something."

"No." Darien shot to his feet when she turned to carry through with her threat. "You will not work anywhere else but on that couch." He came closer as he spoke and he might have been surprised when she whipped around again to face him, tired of this cat and mouse game.

"I might work in a chair instead." Serena bit out, calling him on his own claims.

"That's fine, but you won't leave this room to work anywhere else but here."

That was rich, being dictated what to do. He didn't have the right and he increasingly didn't have her patience in dealing with this. "God!" She barely managed to repress the scream. "What do you want from me? I've tried everything, I've tried to stay out of your way, I've done nothing wrong in weeks, but everything I do isn't good enough for you. Why?"

"Because!" He cupped both her elbows and pulled her closer, but she was still too far away. "Because!" He repeated a bit more gently and seemed to get a hold of his words that had been lost flying around refusing to be caught, tormenting them both. "Because." He withdrew one hand and his fingers ran down the side of her face. "Because."

"Because is not an answer and I'm a little tired of hearing it." She had fizzled out and now she stood there hunched and dispassionate, his fingers playing havoc on _her_ thoughts.

"Because is a great answer. Because every time I want to truly forgive you or let you off the hook, I realize again that you're married. That you're married to someone that isn't me. And every time I remember that I want to put my hands around your neck and shake you for making such a foolish mistake. Then I'm angered at myself for putting on you this burden because you made that decision before you met me, no matter how much I think you should have known to wait. That I'd be in your future. Then I'm angered again not at just myself, but at you too and I take it out on you because there is nobody else to. I hate that we're apart, I hate that I can't just take you in my arms whenever I want and kiss you. It isn't my place to do so. And it kills me to watch him touch you and he touches you all the f-in time."

Serena couldn't look away from his enchanting dark blue eyes. They were blue right now, not black pools, because he was laying himself bare, if only partly. "I- I feel like this is a trap. If I say I want the same thing, you'll go off on me again and if I say no then I'm only hurting myself."

"And me." He reminded her and his head lowered towards hers but then he froze and reached up to wipe a little roughly at her mouth with his thumb. "But he's kissed these lips, he's got the right. And I hate that, I hate that so much."

Serena looked down at the ground, embarrassed and ashamed at the fate they were dealt. "But things are as they stand and we can't do anything about it."

"Then until common sense enters into the equation, permit me this one folly." He titled her head back up and was a lot gentler this time as he ran a finger across her lips. "Just one more taste." Her lips parted on their own and gave him all the permission he needed to lean in and kiss her. It was bittersweet, for they both knew it shouldn't _couldn't_ go any further, now that they were aware of what they were doing, but having lapsed in judgment twice now was tempting them to break down a third time. But Serena wouldn't be the first to pull away and it seemed Darien didn't want to be either but he didn't shift things to going any deeper and neither did she. A kiss was enough to satisfy both of them right now.

–

EAN: : Random note, but any Dr. Who fans on here? Well at any rate its not a real spoiler, if it could be considered one at all. But he likes to rip the last page out of the books he reads. But thinking way back to the first River episode, the books are the trees in the library and are forests for the spores that killed people, no? Then why rip the page out? Isn't that just like tearing off a limb of a tree in the forest? If this doesn't make sense, don't bother responding, I'm sure I'll have either forgotten about this or figured it out, but if it does, love to hear your opinions... hehe..

EAN2: I don't know if this will change any of people's perceptions on the looks and I hope it doesn't really, but I just wanted to explain what I think of when I think of their _bodies_. Darien: This is one of those that you can use your own imagination and I don't care, because that's what I did. Now after the fact I was looking for some that had bodies similar to what I was looking for that wasn't super buff but still strong and muscular, and I think its a bit Brad Pitt meets Liam Hemsworth and... hmm... maybe some Raoul Bova's earlier days… Andrew: I said it once and I'll say it again, not the face, but the size and shape- Brawny dude, timbermen, tree cutters, Paul Bunyan, even some Micheal Clarke Duncan (R.I.P.) without the belly... Zolton: Alexander Skarsgad was definitely the inspiration, but add a bit of classic/preppy charm and some glasses that he doesn't really need, and you've got him, 10th doctor anyone?... Jace: Hate to say this because I love me some Shane West, but he's more of the body type for Jace than anyone else… Nashashuk: He was hard. I didn't want to reference the one we all know, because he is Native American and I don't see him as New Moon Taylor but he isn't Twilight Taylor either... somewhat in between, I guess, I can see the one I mean in my head, a different actor/model but I can't think of the name off the top of my head... Maybe a bit Zahn McClarnon... Michelangelo: Jeremy Bloom- football days, Gerard Butler 300 days, um... I don't know, that type, a bit overly muscular, maybe too much, but not bulky bulky bulky like a bodybuilder, more of a weight lifter.

I only tell you the body types because faces are so subjective and I wanted to give you a sense of size in reference to each other. Yes, I know, no pudgy guys, but come one, who are they modeled after? They're supposed to be fit, even in this world and have to keep up with their awesome girls, right? Plus they live on a ski resort in Montana, so either they're on the ranch or on the skis/snowboards... they're going to be active and mostly fit.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

ANvs3: Hey update! That doesn't usually work, but you entertained me too much not to update for you! There was a rant planned for a reviewer but I'm over it. The rest of you are far too great and wonderful and awesome that I can't be angered by one review. Can't please everybody all the time. I love constructive criticism, you don't realize how much goes into my editing of this story based on what you guys are feeling. As for anyone whose out there and keeps demanding MORE Darien-Serena interaction, you'll be happy in a few chapters. I think. Maybe ch. 20. I'm not sure yet. If this chapter doesn't satisfy you a tiny bit.

AN2: AM, I think this is one of those chapters you're going to be annoyed at... but other than the next chapter (or 2) which deals with fallout with this one, there isn't much more in that vein for awhile after that. When I first read your review for ch 15 I was away from my computer but I wrote this as a note to myself to tell you: Yeah, I agree, usually, but I'm trying to make this a bit like the anime but not. Certain overtones, you know? There's a weekly enemy in the anime so there's a biweekly threat. Haha, really though there's only one major one planned and a sort of one and Maybe another sort of but they're all tied together, haven't got there yet, still in outline and filling in phase. Shh... can't tell anyone else. Man I wish I had a reply button for you sometimes. :D Nothings really revealed though by that, you guys have no idea what's coming. :)

* * *

On Friday Serena took off from working to play with the girls and boys who she taught dance to. They all needed a break and she didn't want to be one of those teachers who had such strict rules about what dancers could or couldn't do in their free time. They had come to her for help and it was strictly volunteer, and really, who was going to see them for the next few months? Maybe in the summer time she'd introduce them to better teachers and schools. They could be the mean ones who laid down the lines that Serena had never adhered to herself. That's probably what set her back for awhile, kept her from getting big before now. Her teachers probably all agreed that she was difficult and didn't want to work with her, until she proved just how skilled she was and then they took notice and gave in to her rebellion.

Her longest instructor while growing up, the ballet one, had been greatly disappointed when Serena decided to quit dance altogether. She'd be happy to know what Serena was up to now. Oh she'd be tickled pink with the knowledge. Probably cackle and tell Serena it was exactly what she'd deserved. She probably somehow knew already. That spiny old woman, Serena thought with a suspicious lift of her eyebrow. She wouldn't put it passed her to not have organized all of this herself.

"Are we going to try skating again? Now that its colder out the ice should be frozen deeper than last time." One of the girls asked.

"Er..." Serena wasn't exactly excited about that. Hotaru made a face that reflected Serena's thoughts exactly.

"Hockey though this time?" One of the boys asked excited.

"How about something a little less dangerous to the health of your instructor?" Michelangelo asked appearing on the bench next to Serena, having hopped over from behind. "I don't think she can handle another freeze."

Serena stuck her tongue out at him childishly. "I'm made of stronger stuff than I look."

"That may be true, but I think we'd all prefer it if you were some place nice and warm."

Rolling her eyes at him she couldn't help but agree. "Including their teacher."

"So where to?" The boy asked, looking at Michelangelo with awe in his eyes, as he did every time he saw Michelangelo or Andrew. He was someone to aspire to be. Serena didn't think this particular boy would ever be that big but she could be wrong, she didn't know how _all _boys aged.

"How about something we haven't done yet?" Michelangelo suggested. "Something I know your teacher doesn't realize she's been missing in this town, doesn't know we actually have one..." Michelangelo let it dangle there for her, like a big juicy carrot tempting her.

He knew exactly how to push her buttons. She gave him a narrowed eye gaze to tell him she was onto him. "What exactly is that?"

"Cinema." Michelangelo's one dropped word surprised Serena and she brightened instantly at the idea. She loved Movie Theaters and if it was anything like this town, then it was going to be old, but in a charming and artistic way. She grinned at him and he smiled back amidst the chatter and excited murmurs from the students drowned them out.

Later as they walked down the street with the horde of students of all ages from six to eighteen, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Though if you do want to go swimming, there is a pool in the lodge. Not to mention the one in the middle school that you can use."

"I thought the students had to go to another town because this one was too small to maintain middle school."

"That's high school and even that high school doesn't have a lot of amenities. It does have a pool, but not dance or anything else fine art related."

"That's nice they at least have that. I miss swimming." Serena really did. "But where is it in the lodge? That's a surprising development. Nobody's said anything about it. Is it not open to the guests?"

"Nope, it's only for select employees and the Shields."

"And you're on the select list." She hip-checked him playfully and caused his hand to slip off her shoulder, but he just rested it lightly against her bicep.

"Don't you know it. I'm on everyone's elite list." He squeezed her arm gently. "I was actually thinking we could go swimming together."

"That'd be fun." Serena agreed. "Maybe tomorrow before work." She took the Saturday and Sunday shift because she wasn't going to be in the office today or Monday and Tuesday. Not that she really needed to take in shifts, but she needed something to do during the day. She'd drop down to four days a week starting in January and pick up lessons and other activities instead.

"Sounds like a plan." Michelangelo pulled her around. "I have another question now, as you're taking off Monday, want to go skiing?"

Serena gave him a negative look even before she opened her mouth. "I'm going on a mini road trip on Monday. I hope to be back Tuesday, Wednesday at the latest."

"Need someone to go with you?"

"Nah, it's something I need to do on my own."

Then they go to the theater and any further conversation was cut off as the rest of them rounded on Serena and Michelangelo, the girls flocking to Serena, wanting her to agree with them while the boys preyed on Michelangelo's predictability and preference. They apparently didn't know these two enough to know that they'd have gotten further asking the other way around and not all of either gender agreed with the masses. "We want to go to the horror movie!"

"Well we want to go see that new romantic comedy!"

Serena and Michelangelo looked at each other with humor in their eyes. "Who wants to go to a romantic comedy?" Michelangelo asked and those who raised their hands were counted.

"And the horror movie?" Serena asked, the same was done. "Or should we compromise and go to the action movie with some romance and comedy and blood and guts in it too?"

There was a hesitation and then they all shook their heads. "Nah."

Serena laughed. "All right, we'll go get the tickets, stay put."

She and Michelangelo got the tickets, and they were kind of in charge, though the town was safe, they were responsible and the parents entrusted the kids with them. Serena and Michelangelo handed out the tickets and then switched the last two once the rest were taken. "See you on the other side." Michelangelo teased her and Serena winked.

"We'll see who can handle their picked movies."

Though the movies were several weeks old, they were newish for Serena and everyone in town because they got the movies later than normal and after being there for almost two months, she was on their movie release schedule. She had forgotten what movies she'd been excited to see and now she got to watch this one. She had been looking forward to it and it was a bonus surprise to realize that it was out here and cheaper than in theaters back home.

She might be going to see a horror movie but they didn't affect her. There were real life horrors that were worse than what people put on the screen. There was one TV show she really didn't like because it showed the extremes of humanity's depravity. She'd love to see how Michelangelo fared at the romance movie with a bunch of girls. It was one thing with a girlfriend, but another surrounded by squealing sighting teenagers. She wouldn't mind seeing herself, if she was with the right person, but she knew more people who'd go see that than this. She wasn't going to let the opportunity pass her by.

She might even be able to convince Michelangelo to go again, just the two of them or with other adults. He was a little wrapped around her pinkie she thought with slow realization. That was nice because they really had become the best of friends. He was her go to person if she wanted to do something, he was always available to her. If she didn't want to do something, she'd get out of it but if he asked her, she gave in and found she had a lot of fun with it. She only had a few other people that way, but they were rare and all but two were here in Pony.

Usually she would have put Andrew into that role and except for the occasional day off or two, he was strangely busier than Michelangelo. Though Michelangelo came here to get away from the grind and to rest and recuperate from his hectic life once Spring started to early fall. This was Andrew's busy season and life. So it probably made a heck of a lot of sense, she hadn't seen either in the summer, it might be complete role reversal then. The two of them together would make one very fine specimen that would make anyone happy or it would be a complete disaster. Actually in fact alone they were both pretty great.

"You're coming with us?" One of the boys asked and Serena thought for a second he was talking to her and instantly her defenses were up at the tone of voice he'd used. But no, it was directed to Hotaru. She hadn't paid too close of attention to who was taking the tickets from Michelangelo. She was pretty impressed all over by this little girl. She dropped a hand onto Hotaru's shoulder.

"I am too." Serena told the boy. "Think _I_ shouldn't?"

"Well you're probably going to be terrified and its not really what I'd think you'd like, seeing as you're so, well, not girly, but something like that. And Hotaru, well... I guess it's fine."

She wondered what he was really going to say about Hotaru but she didn't push it, it was probably better to let it drop to save feelings or from making it worse. Hotaru looked up at Serena with a grateful smile. "Sit next to me?"

"Sure thing." Things had gotten better between them and Hotaru was learning that in the art world lines got blurred and what may seem, here, as over the line, was just par for the course in Serena's. The moment Serena stepped over the line might need to be explained to her, but Serena was pretty sure even those who pushed limits as much as some of her peers would be aware of it. Though there were a few that might not know or had special arrangements. Anyway, Serena's line was a lot further back than many of her coworkers in Florida but was a lot further forward than many people here. Being so center, she could think that she had it right, but she knew that wasn't true.

Serena found herself in the theater surrounded on all sides by the students. There were a few female ones, girlfriends, in small brave little groups, ones who just enjoyed them like Serena, or ones who had been tricked, almost all of the bases had been covered in this small selection. Many of the boys wanted to be near her and she didn't kid herself, they might find her fun or a good mentor, but she had a feeling it was because she was the newest female to town and attractive and young and they wanted to impress her. Not that they ever thought they had a chance, just because they could show off and wanted to.

The movie was fantastic. It kept her guessing and even had her jumping in her seat a few times, it was really well done and thought out, using minor details she'd never seen used before. At one point Hotaru's hand covered Serena's and squeezed, at first she wasn't sure if it was for her or for Hotaru's benefit, and then her answer was given not moments later. When Hotaru was crushing her hand and people around them screamed, but Hotaru didn't. Hotaru didn't scream once or even an eek. Serena was definitely impressed once more, she'd grown more vocal as she'd gotten older, somehow more things scared her now than when she was in high school.

At the end of the movie, she rounded up all the wayward headed boys and girls and looked for Michelangelo and his group, though they might not have started or ended at the same time. About five minutes later, his group came out and after doing a group count, let the kids disperse and go home or wherever they wanted to go. The same number came out that went in. "That was a lot of fun, Miss Serena, Mr. Michelangelo." One of the other girls told them and had a hard time looking at Michelangelo. It was adorable, she was sweet on Michelangelo.

Another girl nodded. "Too bad Andrew couldn't have come with."

"Forget Andrew, it's Darien we wish would have come." A third girl commented and behind her, Serena could hear a boy whisper that it would have been better if it was just him and Serena. Serena blushed a little a that comment, that would never happen. Over their heads, Serena could see Hotaru fuming a bit and she wondered what was wrong.

Serena didn't know though as Hotaru turned and left without saying goodbye. Serena couldn't help it, Hotaru was her favorite and she actually thought they were friends in their own way. "Wow, I'm hungry." She tried to make a graceful exit. "I might as well go back to the lodge and get something to eat with Andrew." Then she directed her last comment to the third girl. "If you wanted to catch Darien today, you might be able to find him, if you hurry, at the office."

That girl squealed in delight and turned to her friends. "We _have _to. Perhaps we could teach him a dance or two." These girls were about fifteen and Serena didn't have to worry about Darien's reaction, he'd probably be highly flattered but also embarrassed by the attention. He'd turn them down from whatever their teen addled minds could think up and they'd leave, somehow, with higher self-esteems. Then he'd probably accuse her of mischief but it was a price she'd bare.

In fact, he'd taken one look at them coming up the path towards his office and he'd dead-bolted the door and plugged in headphones until they'd left. He didn't even want to deal with a gaggle of teenaged girls. He knew all right, he knew Serena set them upon him and he hated having to block out the banging on his door for entrance. It was easier just to pretend not to be there any longer. The truck was behind the lodge. They could assume he was there if not here and never find him.

Andrew was where Serena had hoped he'd be and she draped herself around him, dropping into his lap. "I just saw the scariest movie _ever_."

"I told you I'd be the victor." Michelangelo grinned as he found a seat across from her and next to Mina. "She went to go see a horror movie." He explained to Mina and went into enough detail to remind her which one that was.

"Oh, oh. I can't believe you went to that."

"I like-"

"No, I mean without me!" Mina protested completely put out. "I like horror movies too!"

"If I had known that we could have had a horror movie fest." Serena laughed. "I didn't think I'd get another chance to go with people. I love horror movies, but I hate going alone."

"I can understand that." Mina nodded. "If something were to happen to you, nobody would know it or witness it."

Serena stuffed back the giggle as she saw Michelangelo raise a brow at her hashing of the English language, what she'd said didn't even make much sense. It was that 'much' bit that frightened Serena a little in thinking she'd seen too much of the other blond if she started making sense. "You didn't win." She tossed at him. "I was just about to ask you how it felt to be globed onto by all those little girls."

He snorted. "There was a little boy who insisted on sitting next to me who wasn't even part of the group and kept asking me all these different questions throughout it all. It was driving me insane."

"So we've both lost." Serena leaned her head against Andrew's shoulder and looked up at him. He didn't mind, she'd always sat on or near him, but right now he was looking a bit tense. "You want to go see that chick flick with me later on?"

"Sure." He didn't even sound like he was listening and Serena sighed and rose to her feet to take an actual chair. His arm came about her waist and pulled her back down onto his knee. "Don't go, I'm sorry, we had a bit of a scare today in one of the bowls, a man had a pretty bad tumble and it was difficult to move him"

"We didn't hear any ambulances." Michelangelo's attention was caught.

Mina's lips were pressed together now that it was brought up again. "They took him straight up to Helena. If you were at the theater that would have been in the opposite direction."

"Do you think he'll be all right?" Serena cut in, more important questions needed to be answered.

"I'd imagine so. He was stable when we got him into the back, but they didn't want to take any chances." Andrew explained further.

"Does he have any family around here or friends with him?" Serena peppered. "I'll go speak to them if I have to."

"Chill, you don't know a lot of the details and Amy has already taken care of that." Andrew rubbed her back and somehow it helped take his own mind off of that and the trouble it stirred up in him. Serena was good for him in many ways, instinctively knowing how to help the best.

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that Amy had to take care of it."

"Saying that I'm not people personal enough for that kind of thing?" Amy asked coming up behind them and half-startling Serena to death.

"Not at all! I was just-"

"It's ok, I understand." Amy was smiling to let her know that it was all perfectly all right but worry for the man still strained her features. "These things happen. That's why they all sign a waiver if they rent skis from us. People are aware of the risks and as long as our equipment doesn't come flying out and hit them, we're pretty much in the clear. We've had lawsuits and won, even being paid damages of liable and slander." Amy shrugged. "So far nobody's been too hurt. Though it is always a possibility we live with every day of our lives."

"I was there with him in the ambulance and got a lift back just now. He was fine and hadn't been concerned about anything other than his family. I don't think he'll even try to sue." Zolton added as he sat with them and not soon after Raye came following behind, hearing the end of their conversation and wanting to know how things were going.

"We also have lawyers to worry about some of those things, best in the business." Raye came in and settled onto the vacant seat that Zolton, er, vacated, just for her. The seat was next to Serena. "Thanks, but I'm not that big yet."

Serena smiled at Raye, the girl was what, four, five months along? Serena ran her hand tenderly over the mound on her friend's waist and felt some movement beneath. "Who's that?" Serena asked somewhat absently as she looked at Raye's changing body in wonder, it was not something she'd want for herself, but it was intriguing.

"Our aunt in New York, she's a big time lawyer with her fingers in all sorts of lawyer pots, she's the head of one of the biggest firms out there." Amy explained a soft look crossing her features as she watched Serena and Raye. Serena really had fit in perfectly, they couldn't have gotten a better addition to their community. Raye was even letting Serena touch her, probably because only that morning she had snapped at Serena for being skinny and how she could use to gain some weight. Not that anyone would say that otherwise, Serena was all lean muscle and it was no wonder after the realization that the blond liked to dance, and not just for fun, but could _dance_. "She's friends with some big dance companies out there, maybe she could pull some strings, get you some further education in the schools they pick from and hire you on for summer productions."

"Oh." Serena's eyes lifted up to Amy's in surprise and her hand dropped away from Raye. "That's very nice of you and all that, but I really am not a huge fan of New York. It's too cold there."

"But it would only be summer months, and it's not cold there then. You'd come back here for the winter and keep the job you currently have. It'd be the best of the two worlds."

"Er..." Serena felt trapped, she couldn't say too much and anything that kept popping up into her head was going to be offensive and make them think she wouldn't want to come back for the following year, but she didn't want to jeopardize Andrew's position here, though right now he was in pretty solidly. Andrew had his hand on her knee and he was squeezing it a little in worry, he had a lot riding on her answer, but he didn't have much to say to cover it for her. Michelangelo shrugged, he didn't have much to say either, and really he'd like it if she followed Amy's thoughts. Then Serena came upon it. "I have an apartment in Florida and a cat there too, I can't really leave her with Molly forever and it wouldn't be fair to move her through three different states. Then also, I'm not really sure I want to follow a career in dance. I might lose interest in it if I'm in it for too long. It's more of a hobby and call me crazy, but I actually like Florida in the summer time, tons of beaches and they're actually somewhat clean unlike New York."

"All right, but it is always an option, just let me know and I'll get into contact with her. She knows people in all areas. She's almost scary with how much she knows."

"I'll keep that in mind." Serena agreed snuggled into Andrew's embrace. He held her but it was a lot looser than she recalled him ever holding her but perhaps she was mistaken.

But Amy was far from done in stirring up trouble. "I suppose you're right, it's probably not better to start a career as a dancer, then we'd never get you back and you're probably getting to that age where you'd like to start having a family. You can't really be pregnant and doing all those kinds of dances. At the very least it'd be harder to lift you like Michelangelo did at Thanksgiving. That was some dance."

Raye nodded and waved at herself by how hot it was. "I about melted when you killed him, I wanted it to keep going. Hate to say it Mich, but you kind of deserved it. Don't you know, no means no?"

"Whose saying no?" Darien asked finally joining them, unsurprised that they were all there in Lita's restaurant and kissed both his sisters hello on the cheek, pulling a chair out to sit. He was on the other side of the table, next to Michelangelo and Mina. He greeted the rest before he got his answer and his eyes lingered on Serena's, waiting or something else?

"Serena, to Michelangelo, we were rehashing Thanksgiving." Mina explained leaning back into her chair and tugging on Michelangelo hair. "I never knew you could dance before then."

"I don't think anyone knew these _three_ could dance before then." Raye corrected. "At least not like they did."

"The real star of the show was Serena." Zolton inserted. "She made the men look good, all they had to do was stand there."

"They were hardly standing there." Serena defended. "Michelangelo was in charge of leading and he did good footwork and partnering. Andrew had a pretty tough routine to keep up and he was pretty rusty but he did fabulous."

"I was rusty because we hadn't done that dance since high school. I still think it was better than any time I had to do it then."

"I'm not denying that claim. You were great." Serena looked up and put her hand against his cheek, looking into his eyes to reassure him. "It was even more impressive because it had been so long."

He sent her back a white smile, touched by her words. "Gee, thanks."

Amy returned it all to her original point, she really was pushing, now that she was happy and with Zolton, she wanted to see everyone around her take another step as well. "Really though, have the two of you thought about children?"

There was a sudden stillness at the table as many of the people at it stopped talking and stopped moving, as if they were appalled at the idea of it, but Serena thought that was a bit odd. Amy's eyes darted apologetically between her and then to Darien, they'd had that conversation not too long ago and she didn't know if Darien still harbored feelings for Serena and she knew it put the two of them in a tight space. Raye though was leaning forward, waiting for an answer, not aware of the unease that filled the room. Zolton was only looking curious because his new girlfriend had brought it up, otherwise he wouldn't pry and could only give advice if asked.

"Children are kind of on the backburner for now." This time it was Andrew that could handle this invasion of their privacy. "Serena's busy, I'm busy, and I'm not sure how much you'd want another little kid running around. Besides, I can't imagine being away from any kid I have as much as I have been. Serena and I are liking the private moments we can steal with one another."

"But the two of you are married, have been for-"

"Yes, but life is still a bit chaotic right now, we'd rather plan for it." Andrew inserted before she could finish that thought. "And kids are not in the plans at the moment, not until we're settled in a kind of routine that can handle being disrupted."

"Lita and Nashashuk have been married for longer, why not ask them why they haven't had kids yet." Serena added when Raye looked like she was about to make another comment.

Raye shifted uncomfortably. "That's because... um... yeah..."

Was Raye suddenly at a loss for words? Then it dawned on Serena what the dark haired girl _wasn't_ saying. She might be wrong and Raye just felt like she knew Lita and Nashashuk for too long and hadn't needed to, thinking she already knew, but Serena had a sinking feeling... She shook her head, she'd not dwell on that, she'd ask in the future, maybe, if it came to it, but without the taller girl here, she didn't want to know if she wasn't there to tell her herself.

She felt Andrew's thighs shift under her uncomfortably and was trying to get more comfortable again after that announcement. Then she registered that she felt eyes on her. On her when they should have been on Raye and her serious change in character for the moment. Her blue eyes flickered over to see who would be staring at her, it felt a little warm and they encountered another pair of blue ones. Serena's eyebrows lifted in question to Mina and her eyes slowly moved away, pretending that she hadn't been staring. Serena looked back over to Raye, not understanding what that was about. Mina usually really liked her and for a moment it seemed as if she was burning a hole in Serena's head, wishing her gone.

Then the next instant Mina was bouncing in her seat and all of her energy seemed to be returned. "I know, its Saturday night, let's go to the pub!"

"I don't know..." Raye drawled. "The employees might not like it. Encroaching on their space while they're off, like that, and all of the management slash special positions being there..."

"Ah, they'll get over it." Mina waved it away. "Lita! Tell your husband that you two are coming out tonight!"

Lita popped her head out at the call and grinned. "Oh, that sounds fabulous, we'll be there! Oh, hey guys, did you need anything to eat?"

"Nah, we're good." A few of them coursed and Lita bobbed her head.

"Ok then. Be out soon enough, should we meet the rest of you there?"

Mina nodded. "Absolutely!" Then when Lita disappeared back into the kitchen she turned to Serena of all people. "Come on Sere, you want to go out, I know you do, it's been a while since we have. What do you say?"

Serena gave a one shoulder shrug. "Why not?" Why not indeed?

–

Oh she was regretting it double time the next morning, or should she say afternoon? Since it was in walking distance to the lodge, nobody drove, and even Darien attended, being conned into it by not two, not even three, but five very determined females to get him to loosen up and have fun then stay the night in the lodge. He did all right, he dragged Serena onto the dance floor on a few occasions but he had to hop into line to spin her around. She was the preferred partner if people didn't come with their own and she had to constantly turn down people, she wanted to sit and drink and have fun with the others.

And people kept handing her drinks. She didn't even know how she got into her bed last night. She was still fully dressed when she woke up and she had a dry mouth and a pounding headache. Some of those shots had to be tequila. Tequila, especially the stuff they had here, did that to her. She moaned and laid an arm over her eyes trying to block out the light coming in through the window. She'd rather spend all day in bed.

Though it was Saturday, she had promised to go into work, but maybe she could skip today? She didn't have a boss really to call into and tell that she was sick and couldn't come to work. She was her own boss. With a grin at that notion she kicked off her boots and curled up onto her side, her back facing the window and fell back asleep.

Later, much later, she woke up again to a soft knocking on her door. Andrew peaked his head in and he was carrying a blessed tray of coffees. "Oh, you are a heaven's sent." She sat up and pushed her pillows behind her so she could lean against them as he came in and sat on the side of her bed, handing her one of the cups. She cupped it and just let herself breath in the aroma. Oh it was so good...

He was trying not to laugh at her because he wasn't in much better shape than she was. "Are you ready to talk about that?"

"Oh no, what did I do?"

"Well you danced with Darien and then Michelangelo and then you disappeared for a little while and when you came back, you strode right up to me and pulled me down for a kiss to end all kisses. Or at least that's how I remembered it, I was a little drunk too at the time, so it might not have been as good as I am remembering."

Serena's face crunched up and she squinted as if that would help her see into her mind more clearly and make the past easier to see. It was all still pretty much a blank. She let out a defeated sigh. "Honestly the last thing I can remember from last night was laughing with Mina over some girl throwing herself at Michelangelo. He clearly wasn't interested in her or that kind of behavior but she figured since he was a celebrity he'd go home with any half decent female."

"She was pretty attractive." Andrew corrected. "I'd have gone home with her if she'd been interested in _me_."

"Two things wrong with that. One, you had on your drinking glasses and two, I live with you. I'd like to see you try and explain that one."

Andrew was laughing. "The way you were last night, now that we've started talking, you wouldn't have even noticed. You didn't seem that drunk though until we got to the door and you said goodnight to Darien and practically jumped me as we came in, I think the door is stuck but I haven't tried it yet. I've been unable to move until about an hour ago."

Serena nodded and then his words registered. "We didn't- I mean you and I-"

"No, you were sloppily kissing my neck but as soon as the door shut you were swaying so far over your feet you were knocking into things. I tried to help you to your room but you pushed me away and then shut the door in my face, probably from the state of you now, just to fall onto your face in your bed and not move for hours as if you were the dead." Andrew shook his head. "I can't believe you were that drunk for that long. It was hours later than your last memory."

Serena kept trying but nothing would become clear to her. It was only causing her more of a headache and she gave a mewl of protest as he took the coffee away from her. "But my coffee- coffee good-"

"Is a dehydrator. You need to drink water, and plenty of it. If I had known you'd had that many drinks last night, I would have been in here with you to make sure you didn't die."

Serena waved him off. "I was fine."

"You can't do that." Andrew was suddenly very serious. "I had no idea you were that drunk and I know you the best out of anyone here and I've been drunk with you before. You can't hide how drunk you are and drink that much that you black out for most of the evening."

"But- I don't even remember that many drinks." She tried to count the drinks she'd had before the Mina conversation. "I only remember three shots and maybe four mixed drinks."

Andrew frowned as he tilted her head up and looked at her eyes, they were a little dilated. "You get drunk faster in higher altitudes and since you were practically below sea level before here, it makes sense that that many would get you drunk, but not _that_ drunk. Who gave you that fourth drink?"

Serena thought hard. "Mina."

"The third?"

"Um... I don't remember."

"The second?"

"Nashashuk. He ordered it strong and I nursed it for awhile."

"The first?"

"You." Serena's eyelashes fluttered. "Why? What are you thinking?"

"I'm just wondering if someone laced one of those drinks with something." Andrew's frown deepened. "I'm not sure why they'd lace _your _drink or who'd even do that in this town."

Serena closed her eyes and didn't realize she'd zoned out again until Andrew shook her slightly and she snapped her head up. "What?"

"Has anyone bothered you since coming here?"

A few, but they'd all left. A flash of red suddenly appeared across Serena's mental vision and she tried to latch onto that. She pushed the heel of her hand against her forehead and tried to concentrate but it was hard. "Darien's cousin's wife stopped in one day."

"I remember that, but she'd left a week or so ago." Serena nodded, that was true. "Anyone else?"

Serena shook her head. "No, I don't think so. It was probably an accident."

Andrew shook his head as well, clearly not accepting what she'd said easily. "I thought you lived in the city. It's not an accident to lace someone's drink with a drug. It might have accidentally gotten into your hands, but you were lucky to be surrounded by people last night. Lets get you to Zolt, see if he can't determine what's in your system and if we should be worried."

"Sure thing, just let me go to the bathroom." Serena was trying to get to her feet but her legs didn't hold her, even as Andrew was already speaking.

"No, you can't, the traces might only be there if they've already gone through your system." Andrew turned in time to see her collapse towards her knees and he swung her up into his arms even as her head lolled back. "Or we can just go at this moment." He stated dryly and she missed the moment of consternation in his eyes, injuries he could handle, her passing out was another matter altogether and he was completely taken over by worry for her now. How had she even survived the night?

He turned to leave her room and shoved his boots on over his sweatpants and only bothered with his jacket so he could wrap her up in the giant thing that acted like a blanket and practically ripped open the door.

He didn't run into anyone on the way to the parking lot, so no one could help or was aware of the situation as he drove to the hospital with Serena unconscious in the passenger seat.

–

Serena woke up to a machine beeping at her side and she felt woozy. She tried to sit up and felt something on her hand as she did so. She looked down at it and it was like it wasn't even her hand, it was orange and had weird shaped fingers and too many of them. For a moment she thought she was having a trip. Then she realized it was only the disinfectant and a tube was coming out of her hand. She followed it up to the saline drip and collapsed back against her pillow feeling weak. She knew what the beeping was without even looking and knew exactly where she was.

Her head was still foggy and she wondered if the last couple of months were all a dream that her messed up brain had created. But her thoughts didn't get that far as the door opened and the doctor came in. Zolton was like a breath of relief, she had never wanted to wish away her life here, there were too many people who had become important to her.

"Oh good, you're awake." He came close and ignored the fact that her vitals were already being digitally read, he put two fingers onto her pulse point in her wrist. He nodded. "I'm glad to see that up, it was really slow when you first got here."

"What happened?" Serena asked feeling warmer than she was used to and kicked off the blanket.

"Andrew brought you in. He thought maybe someone slipped you a roofie but he even thought the symptoms were a little off, especially if it took so long to kick in and then a faint earlier this afternoon." Zolton put the blanket back over her legs as if she'd done it unintentionally.

"Was it- was I-?" Oh that conversation was making so much more sense now. At first she hadn't gotten it and she hadn't followed his concern. Now that she was in the hospital...

"I can definitely say that it wasn't the cause. The symptoms were off from the way he described things and after testing for it in your blood and other samples, I can rule that out. We're comparing the same samples with other drugs and other substances."

"What do you think it was?" Serena asked a bit afraid to know the answer.

"I think it was a mild poison." Zolton replied perfectly neutral. "Something that would knock you out and scare you but not kill you."

"Well whoever it was succeeded, didn't they?" Serena pushed harder to sit up and Zolton reached out to help. "Why and who have just moved up in importance."

"They didn't succeed in the way they meant to, it wasn't strong enough to knock you out last night, but it lingered in your system. If you meant succeed in terrorizing you, well don't let them. Whoever it was shouldn't get that satisfaction."

Serena breathed noisily through her nose. "How did I get here?" She asked instead, not wanting to talk about it anymore.

"Andrew brought you by car and then carried you in through the doors. It was all very heroic. He's pacing the halls, he couldn't sit in here with you." Serena could understand that too, he'd sat in far too many hospital chairs with her in the past looking over an unconscious body. "Should I tell him that you're awake and he can come in?"

Serena closed her eyes and nodded. This was not something she was looking forward to but when he came in he was silent and she opened her eyes to look at him. He sank onto the bed next to her and gathered her into his arms, still not saying anything. She sagged against him and not because she still felt incredibly weak, but because she wasn't feeling very strong right now and it felt good to lean on someone.

There was a knock on the door and it was Mina who popped her head around. "Hey, is everything all right? You awake now?" Serena nodded and held out her arm for Mina to join and the blond didn't hesitate for a second and was right there on the twin bed with them and was holding onto Serena tightly. "You gave us all a scare. I only knew because I was here when Andrew brought you in." Mina held her so tight she felt like she couldn't breath but it was nice to mean so much to the girl.

"I'm feeling a bit better now. Is there any leads on who could have done that to my drink?"

"We all remember handing you drinks, but we can't be sure when or by whom or if the drinks were ever out of sight or possession for even a minute. We don't think so, there was always a few people at the table or on the dance floor with you. The only time you weren't with a group was when you went with Darien somewhere for an argument." Mina shook her head. "Must have worked you up because you came back and grabbed Andrew into a very impressive kiss."

Serena couldn't remember this kiss, all she could remember was that it was to get back at Darien for something he'd said or did and to hurt him or to prove him wrong. No, she couldn't even remember what she'd kissed Andrew for.

"I'll have to be shown it later." Serena murmured dryly and Andrew sent her a cocky grin, full of promises to fulfill that need. "Perhaps this time without an audience." She added and his grin widened. Perhaps that might not be a good thing either.

"How's the head? Seeing straight now?" He asked as he caught her eyes with his and looked at them intently. "They seem better. Earlier it was as if someone had dumped water onto their brightness and were trying to extinguish them."

"They kind of were." Mina chided. "But let's not worry her with that."

Zolton came back in and ran a few tests to check how well Serena was adapting and recovering. "You'll be able to go home by the evening but I'm putting you on a week's worth of bedrest."

"Ah come on, that's what you prescribe every time." Serena groaned. "At least let me go back to work."

"No, its too taxing and you need to recover by sleeping and eating well. Working is out of the question." Well he wouldn't know about the fact that she wasn't going to stay and sleep while she had a few lives to fix and very little opportunity to do so. She'd give him today. "As for what I usually prescribe, this time its more important than normal. Those were just erring on the side of caution, this time it's detrimental to the road of recovery not to listen."

"I don't want to." Serena was mutinously stubborn. He might not know of her future plans, but the present ones didn't want to be restricted to bed. "I hate lying about."

"It'll give you a chance to catch up on your reading and your TV watching." He dangled, trying to get her to accept it better.

"There's nothing good on and I hate lying for too long. Besides I've read all the books in the apartment."

"So borrow someone else's. Either way you are going to stay in bed or I will manacle you to the side of it." She'd never seen Zolton so serious. Not like this at any rate, she clarified after she thought about her own thought.

She wasn't going to win this battle here or now so she sagged down. "Fine."

"Ok, so bed rest and lots of healthy food, and even some junk stuff to get your blood platelets back up to a fighting fit shape."

"Hey, Ton, stay here and talk with me for awhile? I have a lot of questions." Serena elicited and the Northern European gave a short nod and then ushered everyone out.

He sank onto the chair nearest her bed and turned it towards her and spoke before she could. "You know, only Darien's ever called me Ton, you've been spending too much time with him."

"I guess... like minds and all that." Serena was feeling weak again and could now understand Zolton's proclamation about bed rest. She leaned back against her pillows and looked at him through half-lidded eyes. She knew he was going to say something about coming back after she'd rested more. "I feel like I've spent the whole day sleeping."

"Because you have. For the most part. This is the remaining effects of the poison and the infusions we've given you to try and dilute it more. It's a toll on your body and it needs to sleep and regain its energy. I wasn't just blowing smoke when I told you that earlier. Sleep and water are two natural ways to improve health the most."

Serena nodded and her vision blurred for a second when she did that. "What about the rest of the symptoms? Let's start with the blurred vision."

"It had a chemical response in your body and it affected your sight, I'm not sure if it started today when you woke up or last night, but only you can answer that."

"I can't remember. There is an entire section of the night that's blank."

"It mixed adversely with the alcohol, and because it was diluted with those substances it actually acted differently because it bonded with something in the drink. It was slowly breaking apart over the night and we caught it so we could flush it."

"You've done a stomach pump?" Zolton shook his head. "Why not?"

"It wasn't available as an option, you'd already metabolized most of it and it was through your system for the most part. Once it got into your blood stream we had to use different methods and we've actually had to use some blood transfusion. You'll be all right in a few days."

Serena swallowed, that was the part she wanted to ask about the least. "Is there going to be any lingering side effects? Am I going to be permanently brain damaged?"

Zolton laughed. "You're not brain damaged now. Mina on the other hand..."

"I'm serious. I can't remember several hours of my life, and while usually that's not a problem, it was only last night."

Zolton's face sobered up and he reached out to cover Serena's hand with his. "Look, I'm pretty sure that will only be temporary, sooner or later it will start filtering in. There might be parts you'll never get back, but it was only a few hours, not really that important. It shouldn't adversely affect you otherwise. Just give it a few days, you'll see." Then Zolton was shifting away the blanket over her right leg. "I'm more concerned about this. Do you have any idea where you got it?"

There was a large black bruise running crosswise along her shin and calf, like she had run into a low lying table similar to ones found in Asia but as if she did it while walking sideways. She frowned and shook her head. "Probably being a ditz or drinking too much or a misstep while dancing."

"I didn't see you do it. And you weren't limping at any point during the night that I had seen but it didn't mean you might not have registered it. I'm concerned because if you got it last night it might have been from the same source as the poison. They may have been intending to get you to hit your head or at least assume so with a fall and not look into your blood for any foreign substances. Mixing that with any other drugs on top of the alcohol and other ingredients might have caused significant problems. Possibly even death."

Serena turned pale under her slightly tanned skin and he reached out a hand once more. "I'm not trying to upset you, but I am trying to bring home the ramifications. You need to be careful until there is more information on how it happened and who might try and harm you. Keep an eye on your drinks and know where the source is at all times. Watch them get made, and never let the top of it be exposed, keep your hand over the top unless you're taking a sip."

She took a deep breath and it released in a shudder. "I will definitely keep that in mind."

"It might be good to watch your food too." Zolton added as an after thought. "Don't let anyone else cook for you or touch your food. Take your meals at home from now on."

Serena's head tilted to the side. "Now you know that's an impossibility. Lita would be offended if I don't come back at any time, and I do have a life. I can take safety precautions and everyone will now know what to look for, but I'm not going to stop living."

Zolton sighed. "That's true enough we wouldn't want to see you disappear from around the table and once you do, the one that harmed you would win, but the only one who can really look out for you is yourself." He stood up. "We're going to end this conversation now, you can barely keep your eyes open. Is there anyone you want me to tell?"

"Andrew's already here and everyone else that I might want to know will soon enough. You don't have to bother yourself."

"It isn't a problem." Zolton tried to reassure.

"Spend your time on figuring out what poison it was." Her voice was dying off as she lost it to unconsciousness once more.

When she woke again it was to an empty room. She turned onto her side and rolled into a ball, feeling violated and wide open. Someone had tried to poison her, they may or may not have wanted her dead. The worst thing was, that wasn't even what bothered her the most.

She'd kissed Andrew in front of everyone and that wasn't a huge issue, but it was a major kiss that she'd never in a million years have laid out in front of an audience like that. Later too she'd jumped Andrew but he had the mindset to realize she wasn't herself and put her to bed, but again her actions weren't for interest in Andrew alone, but because she had an audience, or maybe it was just coincidence. But what really bothered her the worst was that she'd done something with Darien.

Serena might have just kissed him and that was bad enough, or she might have, if her later actions was anything to go by, might have done the deed again with him. Last time it had been pure passion and lust and it had taken them over but she remembered it and it was a joint effort. This time, she was half gone on drugs and Darien wouldn't have any way of knowing that, not until now at any rate. He'd accuse her of not being able to keep it in her pants. She wanted him, of course she did, of every moment of every day but not like that. Not where she couldn't remember it. He must hate her, hate that what they'd built, however fragile, came crumbling down again.

He was probably cursing her all sorts of names by now. And he'd be right in calling her every single one of those. They'd done it in a public place too, not sure where, but they could have been caught. Might have been, how would she know?

The very worst thing was that she couldn't remember it. Not that she did it, thought she felt shamed and guilty that she'd done it again and hurt people in the process, but that she couldn't remember it. Every time before that had been good, oh so good and were experiences that she wouldn't want to miss if they repeated again. And they had, and he'd never touch her again if she could behave like that while half out of her mind. She wanted to feel his skin on hers, the brush of his fingers, the heat of his mouth... and she couldn't remember a single moment of it.

She groaned and tightened further burying her head into her knees. She was a fool to be caught like that and she hated her brain for not remembering. She jumped a mile high when she felt a hand on her shoulder and she turned towards the person who had come in silently. "You scared me." Her heart was slowly settling, it could have been anyone, friend or foe and she wasn't paying any attention.

That's something she'd need to start doing if this wasn't a one off.

The bed depressed and she felt finger shift through her bangs. She closed her eyes to soak in the feel of it, she could almost imagine the reassuring touch of her mother doing so. She hadn't been cared for in quite the same way for too long. "Sleep now, you're in safe hands." Serena nodded and allowed herself to become oblivious to the rest of the world. She was protected.

* * *

EAN: Once this one is done, I'm going to start in on a completely different story. Inspired by a story I just started reading. But it won't be the same, oh no. It's going to be worse. Haha...


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Zolton allowed her to go back to her own room on Sunday, but with strict orders for Andrew not to bother her with any spousal duties. He rolled his eyes and clamped Zolton on the shoulder. "Not to worry, I know the drill, she'll be getting princess treatment."

Serena was a little sad that she hadn't seen Lita all day, not since she'd seen the woman before she fell asleep the day before. She thought maybe she'd imagined it, at the time she'd been mixing her up with her mother, combining the two. Maybe the poison was still causing problems and that's what it came up with. Whatever it was, she hadn't felt as safe and secure with another person for a long time. It wasn't exactly Lita that had caused it, though she could comfort anyone, it was just... she knew what to say at the right moment. A few could have done so as well at the time if they'd been there.

Now she was back, well not in her own bed, but the one in Andrew's room. She'd protested but he turned deaf ears on her. "I'll sleep in yours. It's fine, you need all the comforts you can get. This one has the heat."

"Andrew, it doesn't matter, being warm or being overly warm doesn't make much difference. Its not like I was suffering from the chills or ammonia or anything that would require me to have excess heat."

He dropped a kiss onto her forehead and backed away. "Just humor me, all right?"

Serena grudgingly gave in and he came in an hour later with a tray with all the yummies she could ever want and soup. She tried to repeat what she'd said earlier but he wouldn't hear of it. So she gave in again and ate with him to appease him. This was silly, really, she wasn't a china doll and she hadn't done anything to deserve this treatment, she'd drank something, that was all.

"I'm thinking about taking Monday off." He started when she started the hot chocolate he'd put into her hands and took away the tray.

Her eyes darted up to his. "Oh? You don't have to do that. I'll just be in bed all day and people will be coming in and out to take care of me, as per Zolton's orders. You don't need to be here. You should work, it'll help. Maybe you can think of something when you're up there and need the distance to do so."

"I have a very distinct feeling that you're trying to get rid of me."

"Not so much, just... well I wouldn't want you to be bored." He reached behind her and plumped her pillows but she caught the slight frown. "I mean, you've spent so much time taking care of me, I think you should do something for yourself tomorrow. I'll be in bed all day for the next week, until Zolton's satisfied that there is no more lingering effects."

Andrew laid in the bed next to her and stared at his feet. "I suppose, and I imagine the girls will want to talk to you one on one without a spy listening in to get back to the other men."

Serena nodded. "That would be nice, some girl talk." Too bad she had no plans on being here tomorrow to have those conversations. This was already ridiculous, she was feeling fine and all of it was just massive over-reacting. She was so bored sitting around that she was tired. She either had to get up and get going or sleep all day.

"All right, I'll leave you be, but don't open the door for anyone you don't know and don't accept anything from anyone unless you trust them."

"Jeez, I feel like I'm in Snow White." Serena elbowed him gently. "Does that make you Prince Charming or one of the dwarfs?"

"I'd like to think of myself as Prince Charming." Andrew grinned. "Then again, who doesn't?"

Serena nodded and snuggled up into him, a yawn breaking across her face, but she was more concerned on her thoughts. Where had her lacking in the charming department prince been? Had he known about what happened or was he sheltered enough from the news that he didn't know yet? And what about Michelangelo and some of the others? None of them had come to visit her in the hospital but that might have had other explanations. Perhaps they didn't want to overwhelm her and set back her recovery. She'd find out sooner or later but for now she couldn't keep her eyes open and allowed sleep to overcome her once more.

–

The next day she waited until Andrew had been gone for ten minutes before getting up and getting ready herself. It was early in the day and she could still make it down to Jackson Hole before most people were there and skiing. It was later than she intended but with any luck it wouldn't matter.

She dressed in as many layers as she could and packed up all the supplies she could possibly need and remembered to bring both her phone and the charger. Serena snagged the keys to the truck, Hadley had brought it back earlier in the week and said it was as good as... well it would run fine.

Dawn was just breaking across the treeline as she drove south. She worried that she'd be in trouble when she got back, but this was more important. She was just thinking as she entered Wyoming's border that people were over reacting and underestimating her when her vision got blurry for a second and she swerved into the shoulder but straightened it out right away. She could put that on driving for too long too early in the morning, she was just tired.

There wasn't another mishap the rest of the way to Jackson and her first order of business was to make an order of the largest, strongest coffee she could get. It was all of that. She took a deep satisfying sip and looked around for the best place she could find Jace. She hoped she didn't miss his window of opportunity, he didn't sound like someone who waited for much.

The major drawback of meeting him here was the fact that there were at least a dozen hotels that were pretty ritzy and then a multiple more of cheaper ones. She decided to go to the most expensive that she could find and then go to the cheapest. If she knew anything about rich boys, and she did, they usually fell into two categories. Either very preppy and snobbish or rebelling against his parents and refusing all monetary help, or if they had accepted money it was just to support their lifestyle and keep them moving.

Not to mention the numerous restaurants he might go to that was within walking distance or on the mountain. Looking at the map of the ski resort, she found there was even a few up there that would be open soon for the day. He could be anywhere and she didn't have a very accurate picture of him, in case she passed him on the walkway.

The only thing she could be pretty sure of was that he would be on the mountain most of the day, he came to ski and ski he would. She just wouldn't be up there looking for him. She'd wait him out in the hotel if she could. She walked up the concierge and looked him straight in the eye. "Hi, I'm looking for Jace DeWitt." She gave one of her most charming smiles and the man didn't twitch a single nerve in response to her.

"You and several other reporters have called here looking for him, expecting him to show up sooner or later. I can not confirm or deny that he is staying here as guest satisfaction is highly important to me. Now, if you would see yourself out, I am a very busy man."

"Oh, I'm not a reporter!" Serena moved a step to the side to stay with him. "I was invited here by Jace himself to discuss a business matter. I have the email to confirm it, if you'd need proof." She'd produced it before he could argue and he took a quick look over it.

"This does not sound like the man I have met in the past. He has always been pleasant, but I cannot deny that this is his email or his signature to emails." He handed back the email. "Unfortunately, he is not staying here this time. I was not aware that he was even here for the long weekend."

"Oh, thank you." Well that was a bust for Serena.

"You might be able to catch him, if he is here, at the Cantina del Sol, he likes that place a lot and he visits it at least once when he comes." Serena thanked him for his help again and left, not knowing where her next move would take her, just knowing that he stayed at the expensive places and so he put himself into her first category. She sighed as she let herself out and walked along the boardwalk and watched people.

It was strangely warmer down here than up in Montana and it was only a three hour drive but she was still a little cold. She put her free hand into her pocket and took another sip of coffee. A smile came across her face as she swallowed it. At least she'd gotten a good coffee out of the trip, even if so far she had been a bust.

There was no point in heading to the Cantina yet, it was too early for any respectable restaurant to be open, but she'd pop in once the lunch crowd gathered and then again for the dinner one. She wasn't sure what she'd do in the meantime. Some noise caught her attention and she turned towards it, there were some people setting up for a concert later today and she looked at the lineup, pretty impressed by it. That'd be nice if she had to do something later, it was free and open to the public to come and go as they pleased.

She marked that as a possibility for her later and cataloged that as an idea for Pony but it still didn't satisfy her at the moment. What was she to do?

She almost tripped over the answer and she had to hold back the scream of joy as she saw what she'd practically run into. Clothes! And not just any old clothes, but fashionable clothes! Oh how she missed them and at the corner of her eye, she saw a book store, while that's not something she usually frequented she did like graphic novels and she missed those too! Screw Jace, he set up the place and day, he could make the effort in finding her if he wanted to see her between lunch and dinner.

It took her hours to go through all the cute shops and she was broke by the end of the day. But it was well worth it, she got so many new cute outfits that she practically bounced her way to her car to dump the massive amounts of bags into the back. She made sure to throw the blanket over them and lock every door, she'd be sad if she never got the chance to wear them.

She'd gotten another coffee during the lunch rush but even sitting on the terrace and looking as everyone came in and out, she didn't see anyone and nobody looked at her. She didn't know what else to do, she didn't exhaust every option, but there were too many people and she couldn't scrounge up a decent photo of Jace, he was well known but he liked to avoid the cameras or he'd paid off all that would post or print it, or he didn't do anything interesting.

She was exhausted and she still wasn't completely healthy yet, she'd had a few moments of dizziness that she'd had to catch herself by hanging onto something until it passed. Zolton told her just yesterday that there was some lingering poison that was going to affect her until it was combated but the antidote was being mixed up this week and it wouldn't be available until Wednesday at the earliest. They just didn't have that kind of poison control up in the mountains, never needing it before. She'd even spoken to the local police officer who said they were looking into where that was available either naturally or to buy and go from there. It had to be somewhere somewhat close. Serena didn't really want to think of it now, she might be safer here than in Pony.

Now she was going to eat at the Cantina and shut the place down if she had to. She angled for a seat that she could overlook the concert from and she was enjoying it, having never heard of this band before. She was glad she wasn't down there with them, it had been warm enough to melt the snow and now ice was forming around their feet. She shuddered at the thought, knowing her, she'd probably get frost bite or hypothermia or something and then Zolton would really be angry with her for abandoning the town against his orders. She knew that Andrew would know by the time he got back today, but hopefully the news wouldn't get too far around, but that was hardly likely.

She'd ordered and was half way through her meal when someone appeared at her side. She was just thinking about hanging out by the men's bathrooms all day to try and get to Jace but that was the same problem she had here. She didn't know what he looked like. Perhaps she'd stay the night and try again tomorrow, show him that she was determined and would be there every step of the way. But maybe he'd be gone by tomorrow. She sighed and the man pulled her out of her thoughts.

"Even in clothes bought here, you still look like a girl just moved in from someplace warm and sunny. It's just how you wear it. Why didn't you ski today?"

"How do you know I haven't been?" She asked amused as a man stopped at her elbow.

"There aren't any wind or sun burns on your skin." He shrugged. "So you obviously haven't been today."

"That's true. I don't really ski, I just started this season and the first time I went out wasn't exactly the best or even worst experience, I just prefer other things."

"How long have you been in Pony, interfering with other people's lives?"

"Excuse me?" Serena demanded, not sure how to take someone coming up to her and just ragging on her and knowing things about her that he shouldn't have. "Do I know you?"

He took the seat across from her. "Yeah, you do. I can hardly believe that _you_ would come all the way out here. Couldn't they find someone closer? Or are they that desperate to hire someone that would have no idea about the area they've now found themselves in?"

"It's not like I've never been to the mountains before." Serena took a deep breath. "I take it you're Jace?"

"Yep, and you're the girl who likes to stick her nose where it doesn't belong. What are you doing here?"

"I came at your behest. You told me to meet you here."

"I didn't actually think you'd have the balls to show up, frankly I was still undecided if you were who you said you were."

"I'm Serena Moon." Serena reassured instantly.

"I can see that." Jace ordered something when the waiter showed up and in Spanish. "You even look familiar, how long did you say you worked for the lodge?"

"I didn't. It was not exactly a selling point to tell your parents, and I so wanted to get in touch with you.

"I can imagine. So, what is the answer?"

"A few months." Serena spoke before he could. "I know that's not very long but I feel like I've been there for so much longer than that. Sometimes its like I've been there for years."

He caught and held her eyes, reading whatever he could from them. "That's not where I know you from. Did you live somewhere before that?"

"Everyone has lived somewhere before when they move to a new area." Serena teased and she didn't get anything in response, obviously this crowd was without a sense of humor in Jackson Hole. At least those associated with this man, including himself.

"Where was it?"

"You're very to the point, aren't you?" Serena couldn't help but be hurt by the bluntness.

"I am when I'm protecting those I love." She blinked at him in confusion and he clarified for her. "This time it is myself I am protecting. I would like that answer, if you would?"

"Hollywood, Florida. And before you ask, I lived in Lewes, Deleware for most of my life before that with a brief stint in Ann Arbors, Michigan for university. Anything else you'd like to know about my past housing locations?"

"No, that suffices." He hesitated and then said what he was thinking, she was frankly a little surprised that he'd waited to say anything at all with the way he'd been up to now. "I lived went to Ann Arbor for my undergraduate too. Any possibility that I met you then?"

He was a few years older than her, so the possibility was greatly reduced unless he'd taken longer to graduate than the typical four or if he came back to visit his Alma mater in the years following. "Doubtful. If I may be so bold, you are not what I expected." Serena admitted with some surprise as she finally got a look at the blond man in front of her. She had thought with a man coming from money like Jace DeWitt had, he'd be preppy or classic or go the complete opposite and find his clothing trends in hippie or hipster. He did none of that. In fact, despite the fact they were on a mountain and in hipster-celebrity zone, he looked like an average bloke with an above average look. He was lean but not as muscle lean as Zolton, he had more definition to him but it was currently hidden under a gunmetal gray zipup hoodie. His jacket was strewn over the chair next to him. She couldn't help but smile at him, he probably changed his style as it suited him. He definitely wasn't a bum traveling through and staying warm by layering or intending to deceive people, and he wasn't traveling strictly on his parent's dime and in style at least not this time through. This was how he blended in perfectly with his surroundings and _could_ disappear.

"That is exactly the phrase I was going to use with you." He was looking at her with suddenly intense eyes and she could see the man behind the emails now. He was sharp and he was a little peeved at her. "Your accreditation is all lined up, so you must work at the lodge. What I can't understand is your motive for getting in touch with me. What do you want?"

"I admit, I did contact you under false pretense."

"I knew it. How much?"

"Excuse me?" Serena was flashbacking to another man asking her how much she charged.

"You obviously found out about something that happened there and are now asking for a payoff. I can assure you, you will get your money but then you must leave the place."

"I don't want money!" Serena was flabbergasted. "I don't know why you'd even suggest such a thing."

"You contacted me through my parents. You were wise enough not to tell them the real reason you were looking for me. They'd never believe you, but since you are in prime location, I will not allow you to harm them."

"Your parents?"

"No." Jace bit out. "You know exactly who I mean. Stop playing dumb, you're going to get your wish."

"If you're talking about _Raye_ I don't mean her any harm. In fact she doesn't even know I'm here so if you don't come back with me today, she won't get hurt feelings because she doesn't even suspect I was trying to get into contact with you."

"Come back with you?" Jace frowned. "Where? Back to my parents? That's a low trick even for them, they know they can never hold me."

"Wait, wait, let's start again, shall we? I'm Serena Moon, one of the newest employees at Bridle Resort, I work in the advertising department. I have become good friends with Raye Shields and she's currently pregnant and miserable without the baby's father around."

Jace listened to every word she said and then sat back in his chair. "Hmm... When I first read the email from my parent the first thought I had was Raye was trying to contact me, but when I got a reply to the email I sent, she didn't change her tone and I knew it couldn't be her. I was trying to figure out who would hide behind a false name at the resort. You must be either ignorant or incredibly insensitive."

"Why must I be either? I know about what happened between the two of you."

"And if you know, then you must be because there is no way what you're saying is true. Raye kicked me out with no uncertain terms. It was either I go or the baby did." Raye hadn't said _that _but she didn't have a hard time in believing it, Raye when hot tempered could say some very vicious things. Something her brother had inherited as well, though she hadn't seen it from Amy yet. For a brief second, Serena allowed her thoughts to wander off and wonder if a parent had been that way.

"And she regrets it."

"Ignorant you are, and for being one, you are very naïve to believe that. You must think the world is full of rainbows and sunshine, but I have to tell you, rainbows can't be made without a bit of rain." Jace was still glowering at her and she wondered how badly Raye had hurt this man to be so suspicious of anything and anyone that came into contact with her.

"You are a judgmental fool. I have suffered through worse storms than you could imagine." Serena used his analogy back at him. "If I were a plane I would have crashed and burned and brutally too from those twisters and lightning strikes. I'm still going through worse weather than I have ever set foot into in real life emotionally with the people I know. Yet I still know at the end of that storm, in the eye of the hurricane there is a brief moment of sun and calm and those are the days I live for. So Raye had a tantrum and kicked you out. She does that."

"You've only known her for a couple of months."

"That might be true, but those months I've known her, she's been pregnant."

"Oh." That quieted Jace.

"Oh's right and if her regular employees and I can hang on through it, you can come back after tending to your wounds. I know in love the battle scars are deeper than anyone else's but in love you also know that it is usually returned or has been at one point. And don't you owe it to your kid to be there for it, if for nothing else, to save it from its mother's craziness?" Though truth be told, it seemed like Jace could hold a grudge too and wasn't quite the picture of nice at all times. "Raye misses you, when she's not putting on brave soldier face she admits it. Her brother keeps telling her to forget you, you're not coming back, but she wants you beside her. She knows she made a mistake. You'll be making an even bigger one if you don't go back to her. She only has a few more months left."

"You're wrong about something." Jace said quietly when she was going to push off to her feet and his words stilled her. "You're wrong about me. I'd have been there for that child no matter what."

"It's the mother I'm more concerned about at the moment."

"I'll... I'll think about it. If you don't hear from me, you'll have your answer. I'd feel the fool if you were wrong."

"You'd feel the fool if you don't and I was right."

"But it might hurt less, being away from her."

"Has it though? It's been months, has it hurt any less since the day you walked away?"

Jace rose with her and she was a little unsteady on her feet. "It really hasn't, but I'm sure you already knew that. How did you come about contacting me?"

"It wasn't easy, I tried a lot of different sources, but my concern for Raye has driven me forward." Serena explained and he held out a hand to her elbow when she wobbled a bit.

"Hey, are you all right?" He put his other hand on her other elbow and brought her closer. "There's something wrong-"

"Look, I wouldn't have come if I didn't think it was important. I'm supposed to be back in Pony recuperating from something, but I had to know if you still loved Raye and the baby, if you'd be there for them. I can't sit by and watch her go on like this. She's a complete wreck but she hides it well. I really hope that you'll strongly consider it, come back to Pony."

"It's not as easy as all that. If I come back and people know it too, then I'll bring press and they'll ask about Raye."

"Then don't do a showing, just come back for her, in purely a boyfriend capacity." Serena pushed a bit more and didn't even realize she didn't make any efforts to move away.

"If I were to come back under false pretense, perhaps to see someone else..." He groaned. "You're a great friend to her, which is why I hate to do this, but there's a photographer whose recognized me and nobody else knows about Raye, which for her sake, I'd like to keep it that way." Before she could look or protest or even understand what he was doing, she found herself in yet another pair of male arms and was being... well not quite kissed. His lips were just to the edge of hers and were making lots of weird movements to her face and she realized with a slight embarrassment that it would be the motions a kiss would make if hers were molding with his. She was aware of shots being taken and then she was released. "Please just walk away and don't make a scene."

Serena looked at Jace for a long moment and then she gave a slight nod and turned away. As she did so, she checked her phone, it was only a quarter after six. If she got onto the road now, she'd be home at ten thirty.

Sensing movement behind her, she glanced at the windows in front of her, and while it was dark outside, she could see the reflection of the reporter trying to follow her. She'd take her chances on the road. She didn't know if Jace would return to Pony or if he would ignore her advice. Either way, she couldn't tell Raye, and she didn't think the photos would make it anywhere. She wasn't sure what that was all about, but she doubted if it would make it back to her, no matter how press hungry someone in Pony might be. The two of them, even together didn't make as big of news as a A-list celebrity on a paddle board. But if they caught onto who she was, well, they _might_ just surface into the regular gossip mills on the last page after all the product placements and she wasn't going to take the risk that the reporter got a good angle of her face, she doubted Jace stuck around to be confirmed.

Whatever happened with Jace, well she'd tried her best, and it might not have been good enough but it was what it was. She'd accomplished what she'd set out to do and he'd actually sat down to talk to her for a little while. Now it was on to her next step and she wasn't sure what that was.

There was no point to finding a hotel room tonight, she'd rather be in her own bed, sleeping. She was so tired. Besides, she'd been away all day, she missed her boys.

–

She stopped in for her third coffee of the day and headed home. Just as she was reaching the outskirts of town, she had to pull over, her breathing hurt and it was difficult to get full lung fulls of air. Her pulse rate was up and her hands were shaking. Her entire chest hurt like it was squeezing too hard on all the organs inside. It was too stuffy in the truck, she opened the door and stumbled out onto the snow packed road. She started tugging at her clothes, trying to rid them, she was much too hot.

She sank to her knees and bent over, her elbows on the ground, it helped to cool her down and the position, strangely, even helped her breath a little as the cold air from the ground cooled her down and helped her think a little more rationally. It slowed the beat of her heart, slowly, but it did.

Serena was just getting herself under control once more when she heard the wheels of a vehicle crunch to a halt and a door slammed shut. Then she felt hands at her hips and one arm slid under them while the other slid under her armpits and picked her up, sitting her back into the cab in the drivers seat and she looked blurrily up at the person who'd managed her so easily.

"Darien?" She grasped for his hand. "What are you doing? Coming back into town at this time of night?"

He barked a laugh and slid his hands along her face and into her hairline, tilting her head back. "Can you believe it, I was supposed to go to a meeting on how we were going to handle looking for _you_. Nobody has any idea where you might have gone. You've got many people in a panic and they've been running around like headless chickens. We'd just decided you'd skipped town and we were going to do a wider search for you, make sure you weren't dead on the side of the road somewhere."

She could hear the strain in his voice, the crack as he talked and she tried to concentrate on him. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"

"You never mean to." He leaned in and kissed her fully on the mouth and she sagged against him. "You've put me into a tailspin ever since I've met you." His lips moved from hers and covered her face, making their way up to her eyes, over one and then to the other before going down that side of her face and kissing her again. "I just want to hold you here and make sure you never leave my sight again."

She was jelly in his hands, but she couldn't forget that scare she'd just had. "I was coming back. I had... a meeting in Jackson hole today that I couldn't miss."

"You put yourself and other drivers at risk for a meeting?" Darien pulled back and looked at her, taking out a flashlight from his coat pocket and shining it across her face but not in her eyes, just enough so he could see them. "What happened? God I should have scooped you up and taken you to the hospital right away, but I was so relieved to find you I wasn't thinking straight." He picked her up and put her into the passenger seat. The engine on both their vehicles were still running and he jogged over to his to turn it off and then got into hers, only bothering to move the seat back.

"I'm fine." Serena tried to deny the need to go to the hospital.

"You're not fine, your eyes are swimming like crazy. We are going to talk about this later, you, me, Andrew, my sisters and Zolton. This was unacceptable and you will not do it again."

"I'm _fine_." Serena argued. "I got to Jackson Hole and back without incident, spending the whole day there. It's nothing. Just lingering side affects." She hoped that they wouldn't crop up in the future.

"Do you have any ideas yet who might have wanted to harm you?"

"No." Serena tried to stare mutinously out the window, but there were two things going against her for that. The first that she was unable to see well and the second that it was dark out. Neither on their own were that great to see scenery with. "Though there is a restraining order you'd put my name on... could that have anything to do with it?"

"I would have recognized that jerk, he wasn't there." Darien's hand covered hers. "We have a lot to talk about, but it can wait until after Zolton looks you over." A tear ran down Serena's cheek and he turned wide eyes to her at the action. "Why are you crying?"

She rubbed angrily at her traitorous tear, thinking she could probably use being tired or wet eyes as an excuse but pushed those aside. "You probably hate me. I can't believe I did it with you again, it is unforgivable on my part to do something with you when I'm here with another and in such a public venue... No wonder you didn't come to check on me. I'm so embarrassed that I can't control my hormones."

"Serena?" His voice sounded rough. "We didn't do anything together that night, we kissed and argued, but we didn't do anything more. I didn't come to see you in the hospital because on Saturday it didn't get back to me and by the time it did on Sunday, you were already checked out. Then I didn't come to see you because I wasn't sure I could handle being in that love nest nor if you'd want to see me, it was pretty rough, what we said to one another. I couldn't help but blame myself for what happened or let you actually blame me, it was bad enough thinking about it as a possibility." He rubbed his thumb against her cheek in one of the most tender motions she'd ever seen him do and it was with her. "What you said to me clarified a lot of things, but I have a feeling you don't recall any of it. That's a hard pill to swallow."

"But I'd gone and kissed Andrew afterwards and then later, I practically jumped him in front of you near the apartment."

"Yeah, but that was just you getting back at me for what I'd said. You remember that?"

"No, but I've been told by a variety of sources." Serena sniffed and rubbed at her eyes again. "I'm a horrible person."

"You're not. I only walked back with the two of you because as you'd left me, your walk seemed different and I was concerned that you were drinking more than I thought, but I didn't see you touch too many drinks."

He pulled into the parking garage and came around her side and opened the door, he didn't wait for her to get to her feet, he scooped her up and carried her to the lobby and set her down in a wheelchair. He had a short conversation with the lady behind the desk and then Zolton magically appeared and started issuing orders.

He took hold of the chair from behind and she tilted her head back to look at his bobbing features. "Where are you taking me?" Darien was getting smaller and smaller.

"To x-ray, I'm concerned about a few things." He frowned down at her, or at least she inferred that. "What did you have to eat and drink today?" She told him and she heard his hiss of breath. "What did I tell you about caffeine?"

Her face fell and she closed her eyes, it was making her nauseous looking at all that went by. "Not to touch it?"

"And what did you do instead?"

"Had three larges?"

"Yep, and now let me explain once more why you shouldn't have. The poison in your system makes your heart vulnerable, caffeine speeds up your heart and blood, together you could cause a heart attack and a heart attack, even with how young you are and healthy, could potentially kill you."

"Why didn't you say that before?" If he'd told her the risks, she wouldn't have taken them, but it was just 'bed-rest' and stay put until we got labs back.

"I did, but you didn't want to hear it, anything that told you to stay in one spot went right out the ear opposite of the one it went in. Why do you think I prescribed bed-rest in the first place? It was to keep your heart from accelerating with unnecessary movement. I should never have discharged you."

"That and I was probably also still pretty out of it. It wasn't until yesterday that I felt confident that what I saw and heard was real at the time I was seeing or hearing them. Before that I was still a bit paranoid the bug on the wall was talking to me."

Zolton groaned. "Why do you hide these things?"

"I don't mean to. I just... I was poisoned on Friday night and brought into the hospital on Saturday. You try going through that and still function on all cylinders without missing a beat." She was now a little more than scared of her actions. "Will there be permanent damage?"

"I don't know, I have to see. If there is, that means no more dancing or high intensity sports and your life expectancy will have dropped without a transplant. Or there could be damage but it could be minimal and there's not much we can do about it or need to."

Serena gave a short nod and closed her eyes, allowing Zolton to do what he needed to. "Are we done now?" She asked when he shut down the machines.

"Yes, you shall wait in a room until I have results. I suspect Darien's finished with contacting the rest of the worried people." He was angry with her and she was under no delusional that he was showing his disapproval right now. If she were a child, she'd be feeling worse than she already was, and she was glad she wasn't his, he would be very effective.

Darien entered the room just as Zolton was leaving. The two had a few words in the doorway and then Darien sat down next to her bed. Her eyes closed because she couldn't handle the spinning anymore but Zolton had given her something to combat it, and within time her pulses slowed. She turned her head and smiled at Darien. "Thank you for being here. You could have just dropped me off and then gone back on your way, gone home to sleep."

"Serena, you know I could never do that. You know I wouldn't." He laced his fingers with hers. "There isn't a place that I need to be more than right here right now, with you."

"But why?"

He opened his mouth but whatever his response was interrupted as Andrew busted open the door and he was by Serena's side instantly. "You're all right! How could you do that to me? Do you know how worried I was about you? You put yourself in great danger and lied to me to do it. There was nobody to come and check on you, everybody thought I was going to be with you all day. I only knew because Amy thought to check on us see if we needed anything, and when she got no answer, she called me. I thought maybe you were asleep until I got back home and found both you and the truck missing."

During Andrew's tirade, Darien had gotten to his feet and not rested a hand on the big blond's shoulder. "Hey, Andrew-"

Andrew rolled his shoulder to remove Darien's hand from it. "You've done all you've need to Darien, thanks, you can go now."

"Andrew, it's probably best if _you_ go now." Darien's voice remained calm and Andrew turned burning blue eyes to the dark haired man. "I don't mean anything negative by that comment, but you're worked up right now and Serena needs complete calm. There can't be any more strain on her heart or increase in her blood pressure."

Andrew jumped to his feet. "Oh god, I'm sorry."

"Andrew-" Serena called out but the large man was already backing out towards the hallway. "I'm really all right, if you calm down-"

"I don't think I'll be calm until you're out of this place with a clean bill of health." Andrew let the door swing shut in front of him and her vision was cut off to the outside world.

Darien took his seat again and when she turned her head to look at him he only smiled. "Get some rest, I'm sure you'll need it and will have to answer a million questions as soon as Zolton says you're good to go."

Serena took a deep breath, it was a lot easier now but it still hurt a little, but she did feel herself practically melting into the bed as the drugs she'd been given took effect. She had no control over her body as she slipped into the unconscious, only really aware of Darien's presence with her the entire time.

It was hours later that Zolton came back into the room with the x-rays and other test results. She was awake again for the last half hour and despite Darien's protests, had helped her sit up. They were talking quietly about nothing important when Zolton cleared his throat for their attention. Serena looked eagerly at the tall man. "It wasn't a heart attack." He announced and Serena felt faint with relief.

"That's good, what next, Ton?" Darien asked standing up.

"Well, I have to talk to Serena about what did happen. Do you want your husband in here?" Zolton asked Serena who looked back at him uncomprehending for a second.

"Andrew? Oh, no, that's fine, I'll tell him later. He doesn't like being in hospital rooms anyway."

Zolton nodded and sat at the foot of the bed again and Darien took a seat too and Serena tried to concentrate on what Zolton said, but medical stuff really wasn't her forte. "It wasn't a heart attack and I thought maybe a stroke might have been in order too, but thankfully that was not the case. You had a panic attack."

"I didn't feel panicked." Serena cut in to his explanation.

"No, in this case you didn't need to, your body was already doing it all for you. The caffeine increased your heart rate and blood pressure so much that it went into over drive but not enough to arrest. Instead your brain came up with the next logical solution and caused your body to panic. The next step would have been passing out due to lack of oxygen but Darien got to you before that and helped calm you down."

"I would have fainted?" She wasn't sure that was a question, that was a very real possibility.

"Yes. I'd like to monitor you overnight to make sure your blood pressure doesn't drop and your vitals don't crash, but if that's clear then you can go home tomorrow and this time, I'm ordering you to stay in bed and get out for nothing until I administer the antidote. Even then I want you to stay in the house and not go very far for awhile just to make sure its out of your system."

Serena sighed and leaned back against the headboard. "I'm going to be very bored."

"Deal with it." Zolton was not budging an inch on this matter. "Or I shall confine you to this bed until I deem it time to release you."

While Serena pouted, Darien cleared his throat. "It appears to me that Serena needs a chaperone to keep her in line, and Andrew can't be in charge of it all the time, he's got a job to fulfill. Perhaps it's best if we don't confine her to solitary but hand her off to different people throughout the day. Take turns watching her, if you will."

Serena was about to protest, she was not a child, but when Darien turned and winked at her, her words stopped and she realized that he was doing her a favor. Zolton mused over his point. "Whatever they do with her, she can't do too much that's heavy or aerobic. It would also do because it gives her someone watching out for her that might just dissuade whoever attacked her from trying it again."

"Right, right." Darien agreed with all those points. "It'll keep her from falling back into your hands again, you're too busy for this kind of thing."

Zolton laughed. "All right, set up the rotation. The antidote should be available in a couple of days."

"Any news yet on where the person might have gotten the poison?" Darien questioned now that one matter was completed.

"Not that I know. It hasn't come in yet, but it is from Eastern United States." Both Darien and Serena's heads came round to stare at Zolton who looked back at them in surprise. "What?"

We both come from the Eastern Seaboard." Darien explained slowly, not sure when Zolton got to be so slow.

"Yeah, but this is from North of Florida. Florida's too tropic for this type of plant to grow."

"But D.C.'s not." Darien continued.

"No, D.C.'s not." Zolton agreed. "But who is from the D.C. area other than you? Unless you want to admit to poisoning Serena?" Zolton was chuckling but Darien was very serious. "You didn't, did you?"

"Of course not." Darien waved that thought away. "But there was someone here not too long ago that was from the same area that vowed to harm Serena." He turned to Serena. "Do you remember seeing Bethany at the bar on Friday? I don't, but that doesn't mean much."

Serena thought back, what she did remember was still vague and hazy. "I remember... well when I first found out about this, red did flash into my mind, but I can't remember who gave me the one drink before the world got black."

"Could it have been Bethany?" Darien insisted and Serena's head started hurting in trying to remember.

"Darien, enough, she might never get her memory back of that night."

Darien growled low in his throat. "She won't get away with this."

"That'll have to wait, the important thing is that it was caught and it wasn't completely life threatening, and Serena's on the road to recovery. We have to concentrate on getting her well." Zolton put a reassuring hand on Serena's knee. "Month tops, and you'll be feeling exactly like you did the day you came."

Serena's smile was wobbly as she presented it to Zolton, that would never happen, not in a million years. "Thanks, I'll use that as my aim."

"I'll be in within a few hours. We'll start a three hour shift on checking vitals."

When Zolton left the room, there was complete silence and stillness within. She turned her head to look at Darien, knowing it must have affected him too but he was striding towards the door. "Where are you going?"

"To let your _hubsand_ know that you're well enough to see him now."

"Darien?" But he disappeared out the door and she sagged against the pillows behind her.

_What a day._


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Wednesday was upon her in achingly slow days. People tried to make it entertaining but the only exercise she was allowed to do was a slow walk to where ever it was she was supposed to be going, as long as it was within a block. If it was more than that, they insisted on driving her to the door.

Every single person was babying her in such a way that they feared if she did more than that, she'd collapse in a heap, dead. Zolton, oddly, was the only one treating her somewhat normally and he laughed when she complained at him about everyone's treatment of her.

"Well what can I tell you? You're important to them and they care about you. In only a few short months you've managed to make your way into their lives and make a permanent home there." Zolton drew a clear liquid into a needle with dashes and a tube around it. She forgot, that was called a syringe. Then he cleaned a spot on her arm with alcohol wipes, which actually hurt more than the needle as he pushed it into her upper arm. Then the liquid came after and that was like a burning fire spreading through her arm and then deeper into her body.

"That works fast." She muttered as she rubbed at her chest and he finished up by putting a small band-aid over the puncture wound.

"It's only the shock you're feeling right now, but it will spread and it will bond to all the molecules left over from the poison and dragged it out of your system. Have there been anymore side effects since I've last seen you?"

"The hallucinations have ended completely." Serena reassured him. "Every once in awhile I got a little dizzy but it passed. I haven't touched coffee in days and I'm going on a major withdrawal. Isn't that just as bad if not worse than drinking the coffee?"

"No." Zolton packed up his stuff and Serena made a face. "I'm sure you won't even need it eventually."

"But I like coffee, that's the point. I like the taste, I like the warmth or coolness depending on the season and I like the effects." Serena pointed out.

"Well a few more days won't kill you." Zolton surprised her by reaching out and ruffling her hair. "I'm also giving you permission to go further than a block, but only walking."

"Only walking." Serena beamed up at him and showed him out. "Thanks for making a house call, doc."

"Not a problem. Take care of yourself and I shall see you in a few more days." Zolton headed towards the parking lot and Serena rubbed absently at her tender arm and she got ready to go back to the lodge's main room. Michelangelo told her he was taking her out to a movie. She winced as she realized they'd slipped right back into the one man and one woman outings, though Andrew seemed to have stopped caring about it.

She was not complaining, she'd thought it was ridiculous in the first place. Especially as that wasn't the man Andrew needed to worry about. The one he did, she spent all day every work day it seemed alone with that one. She just didn't do social outings with him.

She met up with Michelangelo who gave her a big smile on her entrance and a huge hug when she got closer. "Gone to see the doc today?"

"He actually came to see me." Serena countered. "But yes, he gave me my shot and I should be good to go shortly. No more bodyguards at the door." She sighed. "Can't wait."

"I wouldn't necessarily believe that one is related to the other. There'll probably be bodyguards at your side until the mystery is solved." Michelangelo reminded her and she knew he was right. Darien was in charge of spearheading that one. He got it in his head that it was Bethany behind it all, though neither had seen her at the bar that night. But he was sure of it, and he was looking for ways to connect it back to her. Starting by going through each of their guests' records and digging into their pasts. She hoped he wouldn't do that with her, there were a few holes in her history she wouldn't like to explain. She just didn't know how long this would last. Thankfully she already had her Christmas shopping done so she didn't need to worry about anybody being with her while she tried to buy their gifts. They'd even been wrapped and their names were on them and hidden in the foot of her closet.

The movie they went to was lacking in action and drama and horror. She scowled at him when she found out which movie he was dragging her to. "This has to be the least interesting movie advertised. I don't mind indie films in general, but this one is a brain-boring eye-shutting breathing-slowing film."

"It's educational." Michelangelo argued. "And it won't raise your heart rate."

She let out a bent up breath. "God it's like I'm an invalid. Despite my telling you we were able to walk here, Doctor's blessing, you still drove me."

"It's cold out." He tugged on her scarf. "You should stay as warm as possible." He got an eye roll. "Ok fine, if its as boring as you believe it to be, we can go to a different one instead. Sneak in if we must." That got a smile out of her.

"Even though sneaking into a movie, against the rules, will definitely get my heart rate up with fear of being caught?"

"I think I'll risk it. Not that you'd be afraid of something like that. You live for breaking rules."

"Don't I just?" She turned her head so she was looking at him over her shoulder and winked. "That's been your plan all along, hasn't it?"

"You caught me." He tapped her on the nose. "That and I like all Indie films." She laughed and was still laughing as he opened the door to the theater for her.

The film wasn't as bad as she'd thought it be, it still wouldn't rank as one of her favorites or something she'd sit through again, but it wasn't horrible and so they stayed through it all. But he did accomplish getting her out of her mood, not that she was trying to be annoyed or grumpy but she was antsy from sitting around all week.

She spun towards him as they got closer to the car and he caught her when her foot slipped on the ice beneath her. "Careful." He warned even as her heart rate picked up from that near fall and she put a hand against it to try and calm it, even though holding a hand over it wouldn't actually do anything. "What's got you so excited?"

"I was wondering..." She died off with a sweet smile, looking at him expectantly. "If we could... go to the studio... I know the kids have been practicing. I just want to see them!" She hung onto his arm. "Just to give them pointers. They're preforming soon."

"I don't know..." He definitely didn't think this was on the list of things she could do.

"Please? I won't do anything that would get you in trouble with Zolton." She batted her eyelashes at him and looked up at him with huge pleading eyes.

He gave a torturous groan and she knew he'd just given in. It worked every time. "All right."

"Yes!" She squealed and moved to open the door. "You won't regret it!"

He was regretting it.

As soon as she entered the unmanned studio, Andrew was up on the mountain and Michelangelo had been with Serena, so nobody was giving advice, the kids flocked around them and started asking a million questions that Michelangelo couldn't keep up with. Somehow Serena was and she was answering all of their questions quickly. That should have been his first clue that she wasn't just going to sit back and relax.

She was content to sit and watch them practice for awhile and then when telling them how to move differently didn't work, she got up and moved them physically. Michelangelo was there instantly to help out, but she kept finding another student to change their position, even if it were only slightly. He managed to drag her back to her seat but it only lasted for another short half hour before she was up on her feet again.

This time he about grabbed her and tossed her over his shoulder if he didn't know she'd hit at him in retaliation and not speak to him again for days. She got up and showed them the position they should be in with her own body so they could mimic. When they got that down she went slowly through a three step count and they followed. Then she stopped and had them do it faster. She clapped when they got it right and then showed them the next part to the song.

"It think you'll all have it by Sunday. You should be so proud of yourselves. Keep practicing." Serena was practically beaming and Michelangelo guided her towards the door. She was putting on her boots without even realizing it and when she reached for her scarf she paused. "Wait, what are we doing?"

"We're leaving before you decide to show them an entire song at speed."

"But I don't feel any different, I'm fine."

"I'd like to stay fine too, that's why we're getting you back before anyone finds out about this. We aren't going to tell anyone that you were here today." Michelangelo held her gaze and she looked away, and he knew she'd do as he said. "All right, on with your coat." He helped her into it and then carted her down to the car and loaded her into it.

She sank back against the seat unhappy that she was leaving so soon, but happy too that she got to come at all. She was so proud of her students, they'd do well without any further guidance. She was tempted to call up old friends in the industry but they'd have to come all they way from the East Coast. She didn't know anyone out this way.

Their conversation was smooth on the way back to the lodge. It wasn't his fault that she was below par these days, he was just looking out for her well being. The conversation was also short as it took them no time at all to get there. They headed to the great fire in the middle of the lodge and joined the few skier that had called it quits already. She was handed a hot cider and she sank next to a group that was playing a board game. She questioned if she could join in and Michelangelo joined them as well when it seemed interesting.

That's where Andrew and Darien found them. "What are you two doing together?" Serena asked amused by their joined presence as Andrew sank down next to her and wrapped an arm around her waist, giving her a short peck on the cheek.

"Oh, no, I'm fine, continue on." Andrew told the girl who asked if he wanted to join in.

"I got roped into helping out with another day filled with lessons." Darien explained. "Afterwards I was skiing a black when I ran into Andrew. We did a few more but then decided to call it quits and find food."

"Where's Nashashuk?" Lita asked coming into the room, wiping her hands on her apron.

"He's at the sledding hill. Making sure people don't get hurt by doing dumb things." Andrew shrugged. "I'd never trade my position with those guys, kind of boring."

"Same thing with the lift operators. You're only amused so much before it just gets old." Darien agreed. "Though I'm surprised you weren't started on those."

"I'm too much of a ski god to be regaled to such a position." Andrew joked and Darien laughed in earnest.

"Keep telling yourself that and one day it might be true."

"Oh? And who do you think would ski these hills the best?" Andrew countered, "It certainly won't be you city boy."

"Hey now, I want in on this one." Michelangelo completely forgot he was playing a game as he turned to them. "I'd probably beat both of you, hands down."

"You seem to be forgetting that this is my mountain gentlemen, I grew up on these slopes, marked them all out myself."

"But the terrain changes." Andrew struck back in. "I've spent the most time on them in recent months. Nobody knows them better than I do."

"All right, how about tomorrow the three of us go up to the triple blacks, each get to chose one and we have a best out of three competition." Michelangelo suggested.

"Whose going to judge?" Lita asked dryly, a hip cocked out to the side. "Certainly not one of you three."

"Raye can." Darien put out there.

Lita laughed. "Raye's a little biased don't you think?"

Darien waved her off. "Raye might be my sister, but that won't mean that she'll pick me over these two due to family loyalty."

"I was thinking that it might swing the other way and she'd count you down."

"If you haven't noticed, by the way, she's pregnant and can't exactly go out there to judge." Serena piped in. "Sorry guys, count Michelangelo and I out for the next hand." Then she rose to her feet to stand next to Lita, they were the sane ones and had to talk some reason into these three buffoons.

"Who'd you have in mind then?" Andrew asked.

"Nashashuk of course." Lita grinned when the three of them processed this and Serena looked at Lita as if she were nuts, the woman had just betrayed all of womankind.

"Hey, you can't have a ski competition without me." All of their heads turned towards the newest arrival into the conversation and several jaws dropped.

Lita was the first to recover and the only one that was supposed to have met him. "Hi, um, come with me, quickly." She held out her hand and pushed open the door behind her, and the man moved forwards to do as she instructed. He walked by Serena and turned to give her an exaggerated wink as he did. Then he and Lita were gone and behind that door, probably barricaded and she could faintly hear Lita's voice, but not a word she said.

Serena sank onto the couch nearest her present location and she couldn't believe it, he'd came. "Who was that?" Darien questioned and she winced as she knew she was the only one who could explain him and his presence.

"Why did he seem to know you?" Andrew followed up and both of them sounded faintly accusing. Michelangelo was strangely quiet and she glanced up at him, but he was only waiting for her response.

"That, gentlemen, was none other than Jace DeWitt. He's decided to give things another go and make up with one lucky lady. Darien-" Her voice sounded like a protest and it was as she suspected him of acting out on this news, and he did, already striding towards the door. "Let it be, it's better this way."

"I'm going to smash his face in." Darien ignored her and pounded on the door but it wouldn't budge and she could no longer hear Lita. It was probable that they went down the hall and into another room entirely.

"Darien." Serena came up to him and put a hand on his arm. "Leave it, it's out of your hands, and now it's up to them to figure out."

"How did you even know that was Jace DeWitt?" He turned on her then and she knew she was in trouble.

"Well, that's who I went to go meet on Monday. I had contacted him and he was nearby so I joined him in Jackson Hole for a frank discussion."

"You keep interfering with people's lives." Darien bit out. "This is a step too far. This is Raye's life that you're messing with now."

"I was trying to make it better!" Serena argued. "She's been miserable and mopping around, missing him and too stubborn to go after him herself. I stepped in and told him to come back so they could meet in some type of middle ground. You'll see that this is for the best."

"If he hurts her again-"

"I'll take full responsibility." She vowed. "I'll even take myself off the property before anyone has to say a word. But I don't think it will come to that."

"Darien, it's not fair to lay it on her shoulders, if he hurts her again, that's his fault, not hers. She was only trying to make things right." Andrew stepped in to defend her. "You're not helping matters by arguing with Serena, you're stirring her up. Besides, I agree with her, if I had thought of it, I would have done it myself. "

Not that things would have turned out the same way then.

Darien was angry but he was holding it in and instead of lashing out at Serena more, he just turned and left the room, knowing Andrew was right. Serena sagged once the tension left with him. "Was I wrong?"

"No." Michelangelo spoke up. "Raye was reaching the end of her tether when it came to him. Its only right that he's here for the last few months. They need to work things out _before _the baby comes. I'm not sure how much Darien has listened to Raye over these last few months. I'm not sure how much Raye has listened either, but now the ball is back in her hands."

"Did you know a fair amount of what was going on? I know you've never met him, but..."

"Raye confides in me more than Andrew does. If that's anything to go by. Raye's a good boss but we're not really friends." Michelangelo explained.

Serena nodded understanding his point and not understanding how she'd gotten to be close to so many people. It wasn't like this in Florida. She had a few good friends, but the rest were people who came and went. Maybe it was the crowds and their attitudes.

"Ooh... there's drama brewing in the kitchen. I wonder if that guy said something about not liking Lita's cooking. Could you imagine?" Mina dropped down onto the couch next to Andrew and Serena smiled apologetically as they seemed to have boxed out the group of friends that were there first. They shrugged and said something about getting a drink.

"That's-" Michelangelo began and then thought better of sharing gossip with Mina.

"Who is it?" Mina's eyes widened and she got excited. "Is it her brother from another mother?"

Andrew chuckled. "No, it's nothing related to Lita, other than she was the only one here when the real drama went down."

"Which is what?" Mina insisted on being told and Andrew gave in even though Michelangelo winced at being the perpetrator in this gossip spreading.

"Don't do it man, Raye's going to kill you."

"Raye's going to kill _me_." Serena responded moodily, knowing that they were only aware of half of what was going on. She needed to speak to Jace about that photo and what would happen if it ever got out.

If at all possible, Mina's eyes got even larger in her head. "You mean that's... _that's_ Jace DeWitt?" So Mina knew all about Raye's love affair, it was only fitting as these two, however at odds personality wise, were good friends. "If you ask me, she's far exaggerating his draw."

"Where?" Raye asked coming into the main room and really they needed to start having these private conversations somewhere other than the room that all had to pass by to get anywhere else. She was scanning their hands looking for a magazine or newspaper that might have held his photo. "Someone got a digital device?" She asked with a lifted black brow.

"Er..."

"Um..."

"He's in the kitchen!" Mina blurted out and then covered her mouth with both hands looking appalled that she'd said it. Raye only stared at Mina in response, as if she was too stunned to really process that.

She was still standing there a moment later. "Jace is in the kitchen?"

The door opened, Jace and Lita came out. "Actually, I'm right here."

Raye turned towards him and took several steps but stopped short as she seemed to catch herself but he already held open his arms thinking it was going to be easy. Then she hauled out and slugged him in the eye.

He howled. "Ow! What's the deal Raye!" He put a hand against it protecting it from further harm. "You're the one that kicked _me_ out."

"That was for not coming to me first!" Raye snarled, her hands were still raised in front of her. "If you don't fear for your life, you'll continue standing there, I'm about to sock you in the other one for listening to me in the first place!" Serena got to her feet but crouched low, attempting to leave the room without being noticed. Michelangelo followed her example, Mina was oblivious and perked up against the back of the couch to watch with avid fascination.

"Man, we need popcorn!" She crooned and it was only when Andrew attempted to follow Serena and Michelangelo's escape plan that she noticed she was talking to herself and turned her head to find them, snickering at the two large men trying to get by unnoticed. "Come on, it's all right if you want to watch!"

"Shh!" Four people hissed at her, including Lita who was trying to back away towards the kitchen once more.

Jace ignored all their antics while Serena got to her hands and knees, she didn't want to be seen and be brought back into this mess, not today at any rate. She moved quickly across the carpeted floor, groaning as she encountered wet patches from people not properly knocking the snow off their clothes or the ice melting now that they were inside.

Michelangelo and Andrew got back onto the couches, they weren't going to make either a graceful exit or slip by unseen. Serena at least had the chance.

Jace cleared his throat and all eyes went back on him, Serena couldn't help but watch as she left. "I tried to, I came out to the lobby, seeing a bunch of people together but Lita cornered me before I could move on. She and I had a... discussion, in the back and I was just coming to find you when they announced my arrival. Which I'll have to thank them for in the future." Jace turned his eyes to glower at the others but he didn't find the one that was the cause for all of this. "I wanted to talk things out between us, see if we can't figure out a way to raise this baby together."

Raye's face scrunched up as she regarded him with a glare. "You were an idiot to ever leave. You should have known it was just crazy hormones talking."

"I was an idiot." He agreed but a smirk was creeping up his lips as he knew exactly what she was saying.

"I can't forgive you so easily. We have to talk things through for a change. It's not like you showing up here is going to wipe the slate clean. You have some penance to pay. My brother is going to kill you."

"Darien's here?" Jace's smirk completely disappeared. "I thought he'd still be in D.C."

"Well things change when your sister is knocked up and single and the boyfriend is nowhere to be found."

"We were never boyfriend and girlfriend." He countered and Mina let out an 'oooh' as that was juicy news.

Raye turned her head to send a laser glare at the remaining blond female. "How about we figure out a place to have this without an audience?"

"Sounds good to me."

"Not to me!" Mina protested as they turned to leave and Jace put out a hand towards the small of Raye's back.

"No touching!" Raye swatted away his hand, but he ignored her and it came towards her waist and they started moving off even though Mina protested the end of her show.

"Come on, I want to feel how big the baby's gotten." Then his voice got quieter but still carried over to them. "Besides, now that I can see you again, I don't know if I can hold off on touching you. That was always my problem..."

Then their voices disappeared all together as they entered another room, heading for a private area in which they could talk without an audience. Mina turned and plopped into the couch with a grunt. "How lame. I wanted to see what would happen next."

"I'd suggest worrying about your own life instead." Michelangelo added standing up, wondering if he should go after Serena or find something else to do. He didn't want to push his luck by spending time with Andrew without her around.

"I'd have to have one first." Her nose scrunched up. "But all the boys that I like don't like me back or are unavailable." Then she brightened. "Michelangelo...?"

"Forget it, you know we'd never work as a couple and I'd rather not be someone to entertain you for awhile until you find another boy to latch onto and drop me." Michelangelo waited until her face dropped its pout before leaving the room towards the car park. Andrew's eyebrow lifted as if this was news to him.

–

Serena tried to avoid Raye and Jace every chance she got over the next two days and if that meant spending more time anywhere else, then that's what she did. She got good at slipping her 'guard' or at least she did when it wasn't Darien. _He _was back to not talking to her, he was really upset over her involvement with his sister's personal life. She tried to explain, but he wouldn't hear of it.

So she spent less time in the office too. She had to scrap her idea of having Jace be a major draw when he explicitly asked her not to bring attention to his presence there. She'd honor his wishes mostly because she didn't want to cause more stress for Raye.

When she did see either of those two, they were usually together, but not together. Raye was often ignoring Jace while he had a dopy look on his face as he stared after her, or Raye was laying in on him about something but he was still grinning, happy to just be near her. She wondered what he'd be like once Raye dropped the icy shoulder. But when Raye looked away, Serena noticed a smile slip along Raye's lips too, happy he was back.

It was those kinds of moments that Serena wished Darien would see. It was the look Serena would get on her own face after a good moment with Darien. Hell, any moment with Darien as long as it didn't lead to her tears. She breathed out a foggy breath as she leaned against the railing near the sledding hill and watched all the guests come sliding down and to a stop, racing one another. The bobsleds were only run on weekdays, when it was less crowded.

She rubbed her hands together as she'd been out there too long and not dressed as warm as she should have. She was on the mind set that she was going to go for a walk and that usually required less clothing than if she were going to stay out but more than if she was just jumping from one place to the next.

A coat fell along her shoulders that was much to large for her and was already warmed from the inside. She looked up to see who gave it to her and was only mildly surprised to see Darien, and it was only surprise after his disposition towards her over the last few days. He offered her an unsure smile and she returned it. "Change of heart?"

"I hate it when we quarrel." He returned. "I had decided to start anew with you, and I blew it right away when I found out about Jace. Now I see that you're right to have brought him back. Raye is so much more manageable than she had been. I think I was just frustrated with you that you'd risk your life to go down see _him_."

"I had it planned at least a week before anything happened to me. I couldn't let the opportunity to make Raye happy slip through my fingers. It was such an easy and simple thing to do. I really don't think I would have been in any sort of harms way if I hadn't drank all that coffee. Even without a compromised immune system, three larges would have made me feel odd."

Darien sighed heavily. "At any rate, it was a scare that set me straight and now these last few days... I've missed you. I don't like it when you're not in the office and I am. I hate it when you're in the office with me and you're not going on with that sweet chatter that I enjoy hearing."

"You think it tiresome and irritating. Don't lie."

"I find it enjoyable. I like hearing you talk. I might be the only man alive that likes hearing a woman talk at speed and nonstop but I do, when it's you doing the talking."

Serena turned so she was leaning back against the railing and looking up at him instead of the surroundings. "Why are you doing this? You know that we can't handle more than a day of peace between us before things blow up once more."

"That was then." Darien countered. "This is now."

"What's changed between then and now?"

"I've seen how happy two people can be when they've overcome the odds and even if they might not be fully together now, the promise of soon keeps them going."

His words were exactly what she needed to hear to know that he thought the same way she did and it was a salve to her bruised heart, but they were also the worse things because it was a seductive idea. That there might be a chance, one day, for them too. Though she knew it wouldn't happen, not anytime in the near future at any rate, and by the time things did straighten out to lay a path between them, he might no longer be interested. She knew she would always be, that what she felt for him wouldn't just be swept away into the wayside. And that hurt, to be dangled in front of her eyes, the juiciest carrot she had ever seen, no, make that a pint of ice cream as she didn't like carrots and then to know that once she could dig in, that it'd be one sloppy, droopy melted mess.

She had to put a stop to this, now, before it got out of hand once more. She couldn't handle another indiscretion between them. She might dig in and never let him go. Then where would that leave them? Her lips were wobbling, however slightly as she formed the words she needed to say. "If it weren't for the baby, they might never have gotten back together. They still might not work out, they might have another row and we'll all be back where we started, if not worse. You could very well be right, and I made a terrible mistake in bringing him back here."

He slid a hand up to her elbow and halted her from leaving, but only in the gentleness of ways. "Serena- I was wrong to tell you that. You were only doing what you thought was best. If they don't work out, then it wasn't for lack of trying and we'll all know. But I think what you did was very brave and they deserved to be given the chance. I wasn't here before, but if he made her one tenth as happy as she is now or vice-versa, then I think they've got a strong chance of making it. No matter how odd their relationship might seem to an outsider."

He wasn't getting it. She couldn't allow him to harbor the thoughts that she might leave Andrew for him. She couldn't do that, she'd made promises and she intended to see them through, even if she'd made mistakes along the way. "I'm with Andrew and that's how things are going to stay. If you think for one moment that I'm going to-"

"I don't expect anything of you. You might still be under the impression that I'm trying to trip you up so I can get back at you for hurting me, but that's not what I'm getting at." Darien stood up straighter. "You could be married to the entire male staff for all I cared, would make things easier, actually!"

Serena couldn't help it, she ballooned up to her full height puffed up on air. "Well, if we're back to this kind of name calling once more in very weak code, then I don't need to stand here and take it. Take your jacket back too, I don't need your brand of help." She slung it at him and he was dazed for a moment as she started stomping off.

"Wait! Serena, please wait, I didn't mean-" He caught up to her and spun her carefully around. "We always seem to be getting off to a bad start. I'm sorry. Please come to dinner with me tonight?"

"Can't."

"Serena-"

"No, I really can't. I've already agreed to go with Mina and Lita. They were thinking of a bit of a girl's night, just without the drinks. I actually kind of feel bad for bringing down the fun." She was so thankful for that excuse. "And tomorrow Andrew and I are going out. Then the next night Michelangelo and I had a dinner planned as well. Unless you wanted to tag along to that one, I don't see any time that you and I can have dinner together until after Christmas."

Darien held her eyes with his for a long time before he released all the air in his chest in one long slow release. "Fine. Have it your way."

This time when she walked away, she felt like she was walking away forever and that this was her last chance with him. After this, he'd never look at her the same way, knowing her decision, but it _wasn't_ her decision, not really, just what she was forced to do for right now. Her heart hurt and she knew it had nothing to do with the poison's lingering effects and all to do with the man behind her.

She could have saved herself a lot of grief if she'd known what was going on in his mind. But there was no way in knowing such a thing, and she only had her own feeling and thought to contend with. Perhaps though it was better she didn't know, it might have hurt more.

–

It was Christmas day before she knew it and they were all invited, well a small number of the staff, as they'd had a huge staff party the day before, were invited over to Darien's. It was his sisters, and a few of the ones he knew on a somewhat personal basis, those in upper management who attended everything. There were now... Serena looked around counting. Two, four, six, that was the couples, oh wait, nine, Hadley, Mona and Hotaru, plus five more, what was that, fourteen of them altogether including Darien and herself? That was still surprisingly an intimate gathering. Oh, and Darien's main ranch hand was here too, so that made fifteen.

Andrew was... well he was somewhere. Where ever it was, it wasn't by her side. She was too busy talking to Mina and the two of them were laughing so much that everyone else kind of veered off to a quieter area so they could continue on their conversations. Mina was too hilarious sometimes, she somehow clicked into Serena's mindset or Serena clicked into hers and they barely had to say anything to know what the other was _saying_. Tonight was no exception and anyone watching would have thought these two were sisters with how well they understood one another.

Someone dared their close little bubble of laughter and good time. "Would either of you like something to drink? We'll be having dinner soon-"

Serena looked up at the man who was asking and she gave him a broad grin. "I don't think we've been properly introduced yet. I'm Serena."

"I'm Fred." He shook her hand. "I've seen you come and go once or twice since Darien's been back. Seen more of everyone else." If that was a hint or a dig, she wasn't quite sure, either way it left her without room to respond.

Mina thankfully stepped in. "I'll have a wine, please."

"Nothing for me." Serena replied and watched with narrowed eyes as he walked away, did she spot streaks of pink and green in that nondescript light brown head of hair?

"Don't worry about him." Mina cut in over Serena's thoughts and Serena turned an uncomprehending look her way. "Fred's just really protective of Darien and he doesn't get to see him as often as he used to. This is a nice change for all of us."

Serena tilted her head in curiosity. "Were you around for the introductions between those two?"

Mina turned in her seat to see what Serena was talking about and spied the subject instantly. She chuckled. "No, I wasn't, but you were."

"No I wasn't, Jace came into the room and then was shuffled out instantly and then Darien stormed off angry that he'd even show his face in his town." Serena tried talking with a gruffer voice but it wasn't even close enough to Darien's to be notable.

Mina cracked up. "Oh, I would have killed to have seats to that show down. At least we got to see the beginnings of the one he had with Raye. Though I was expecting... more?"

"Like what? I'm pretty sure a punch to the face is more than most people's reactions. I'm just glad she didn't have a screaming fit there in the lounge. That would have been horrible."

"That's not like Raye at... no, you're right, I'm glad too." Mina was shaking her head at the idea. "It's amazing to me how everything is working out so well."

Serena swallowed back her laughter. Somethings were, others, well they were a complete mess still. But she nodded. "It's nice. Do you have anyone special that you can't reach?"

Mina became silent for a long stretch and then finally she spoke. "Oh there's someone special alright, but even if I could reach him, I could never have him. He's married and boy is he ever."

"What does that mean? Kids? _Grandkids_?"

"Ew, no. They're just so in love that is hard to see a way of taking him from her and sometimes I don't want to, she's a pretty good friend, but it hurts to not be with him."

"Is it someone I know?" Serena felt a little worried as she glanced around the room, her eyes caught Darien's for a second and they smiled at one another before they flickered on. She feared Mina was talking about Lita and Nashashuk, who were wrapped around one another at every occasion.

"No, _no_." Mina sounded a bit panicked and when Serena looked back at her, Mina took both her hands. "No Serena, you don't. So don't go looking into every corner darkened by shadows or under rocks. It's something I have to deal with on my own, _please_ don't interfere. They're friends I have in my other life."

Serena laughed and squeezed Mina's hands in return. "I won't, but you make it sound as if you are a secret agent."

"Maybe I am." There was a secretive smile on Mina's face. "Who knows what anybody does away from here?"

That was kind of why Serena liked it too, and they continued talking until dinner. At which time Andrew and Michelangelo came over to them and offered an arm to each of the girls. They were taken and they walked together into the dinning room and each couple sat on opposite sides of the table. Serena found herself next to Nashashuk and Lita on his other side. On Andrew's other side was Fred and Hotaru, and across from them was Mona and Hadley. The siblings were on both sides of Darien at the head of the table and their boyfriends next to them. They all looked so happy. Serena lifted her eyes to Darien and he held them as he rose and gave a toast. It was well spoken and charming but in the end as all toasts went, to the forgotten lands soon enough.

"I'd like to say thank you to all of you. This is not something I do very often, but since being home I've found I've done a lot of things I'm not used to. I have a lot of you to thank for that and my sisters who never skip the opportunity to put me out and use my home as they wish. But I'm grateful for them, they're the best sisters a man could have. I know that they'll forever be by my side and that's what family is for. This year is ending and its had a lot of twists and turns, not every one was pleasant, but I'll forever be grateful for the ones that were. I'm excited to see where the new year will take us with old friends and new and I love having you all by my side." He raised his glass they all did the same before a round of tinking began and each took a sip.

Conversation started back up but Serena couldn't shake the feeling that he was talking directly to her on a few of those points. She wasn't sure what he was trying to say between the lines, it was too open for interpretation. She tried to ignore it and muster up interest in her food but all too soon, her attention was taken elsewhere as someone drew her into a conversation.

Each course had their own drinks and sitting on the table was water and eggnog to start with. She reached out for the eggnog absentmindedly. When a hand reached out to take it from her. "Nuh-uh-uh, this isn't for you. Remember?"

"No alcohol, no caffeine and no dancing. This is like the worst Christmas ever." She grumbled at Nashashuk and he winked back at her.

"Cheer up, you'll be cleared in a week and you'll be dancing like a pro again at New Years Eve." He chuckled. "It's odd that I'm taking alcohol away from you when I'm usually the one pushing it."

"There's alcohol in it?" Serena asked surprised, even Hotaru was drinking it, though she was restricted to just the one glass.

"Yeah, but Hotaru's is without, they made a mistaken and poured the rest the same." Serena nodded and they slipped into their own conversation, drawing Lita in slowly. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Darien grinning as he enjoyed his conversation with his sisters and their boyfriends.

The night moved on and gifts were shared and opened. Raye and Amy had pitched in to buy everyone a gift that was unique to the individual and it was a larger gift than the one they gave all the employees. Andrew and Serena had done the same thing. Zolton gave each a free check-up exam which probably cost more than anyone's _actual _gifts. Darien gave everyone the exact same thing regardless of gender or closeness, including his sisters. They were gender neutral colors and they were very nice quality scarves. Jace was forgiven in not coming with anything, as he hadn't really been planning on coming back for Christmas. Michelangelo gave everyone enough movie ticket vouchers for every day of the month if they so chose. The others gave presents too and Serena thanked everyone individually and often times with a hug.

The party lasted well into the night and people started yawning and slowly splitting off. To make sure the past didn't repeat itself, they were each given rooms in the ranch to spend the night in. Raye and Jace had slipped away a few minutes ago. Serena couldn't keep the yawns down and for the first time realized the benefits of 'resting', but really she thought that just slowed her down. At her age, she should never rest.

She headed towards the bedroom wing when she heard arguing. Serena hesitated near the door for far too long, debating whether or not to knock and see if she could offer her help or to just walk away whatever they were arguing about was none of her concern. The door swung open and she looked up into a stoney face, the eyes looked down at her in mild surprise followed quickly by concern. Then a hand was on her arm, pulling her back and then pushing her to the side, she almost let out a squeak of annoyance at the manhandling. Darien was trying to push her back towards the party when Raye came out after him. Too quickly for Darien to succeed in whatever it was he was intending.

Raye's face was a flaming mask of rage. "You! Just who I was looking for!"

Jace appeared behind Raye and put both of his hands onto her shoulders, pulling her back into the room. Darien's jaw tightened momentarily before he looked back to Serena. "Perhaps its best if you go in, she wants to talk to you."

"What did I do wrong?" Serena asked as she gingerly stepped into the room, Darien followed behind and closed the door.

"You're not needed anymore Darien." Raye hissed.

"When you are in my house and shouting, it is my concern, especially when I have guests. _Your_ employees actually." She probably didn't need the reminder and Jace was keeping two firm hands onto Raye, but it was difficult between not wanting to be too rough because of the baby and Raye's temperament adding strength. "I'm also going to be here to makes sure I don't have an office partner disgruntled for the next week without knowing what its about."

"Well that's an easy solution!" Raye shouted at her brother. "I'll take it right out of your hands, because she's gone! Andrew too, if this is what his marriage is based on!"

Serena felt faint, did Raye know about Darien and her? But why was she so angry? Other than the lies? That was cause for anger, but not this wild emotional release, but a cool dispassionate dismissal. Serena groped behind her but forgot Darien was there and so her hand encountered his stomach and the layers of cloth over it. It clenched on its own, bringing fabric with it. If Raye knew, that was the end of that, but it might not be the end of _everything_.

Raye had something in her left hand and she was waving it about, she turned quickly and it smacked Jace in the arm. He winced as if it hurt, the big baby. Then Raye was spinning towards Serena before anyone knew what she intended and Serena's head whipped painfully to the side. Darien put an arm out and surrounded Serena with it, supporting her when she felt like a pile of goo dripping onto the floor, bringing her into the protective shield of his body and she could feel the anger emanating off of him. Jace had grabbed Raye with both of his arms and was holding her back but she was hissing at Serena and Serena couldn't follow it.

Serena's hand had come up on its own and protected her face from further abuse. Her cheek stung and it felt a little sticky and warmer than she recalled. Moving her hand away to look at it, she found a small line of blood on her palm. Darien wasn't looking at her, so she knew his anger wasn't towards her, which was such a blessed relief from the usual way of things. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" He roared at his sister. "You do not attack guests or employees!"

"Seeing as how I already fired her, she isn't an employee and she isn't a guest at the lodge. She's banned!" Raye was struggling for release. "Get off me, you are too!"

"She's _my_ guest, I invited her!" Darien argued. "As are you! If you don't calm down, I'm going to have one of the ranch hands take you back to the lodge and then it'll be another year before you see me."

Raye opened her mouth, probably to claim that was fine with her, when it registered that he was serious. "Why are you protecting her?" Raye's voice was a hair calmer. "She's betrayed our trust."

"Someone needs to protect her." Darien's voice was calmer too, it had less of the anger in it but Raye's had lessened in that regard. She was still livid. Serena peaked out around Darien to look at Raye and Jace. Jace was concentrating on holding Raye down without hurting her, but there was a spare second which he looked up at her and he offered her an apologetic smile. "We at least owe it to them to hear them out."

"A cheat is a cheat, there is nothing to hear out." Raye snapped. "I don't know why you're being so laid back about this, you hate cheaters more than anything."

Serena felt her stomach bottom out and knew Raye had somehow found out about her and Darien. How, she didn't know. There was only the two times, once in another city and the other here, but happened so quickly that it almost didn't count. There might have been kisses shared, but those were even less likely to be noticed. She couldn't have overheard their conversation when they'd all gone out, because she wouldn't be sitting on it and still be acting like this. It had to be brand new information. "Raye, I can explain, if you still feel this strongly afterwards about my mistakes, then I will go quietly and I'll even be the one to break the news to Andrew..."

"Serena, stop." Jace ordered and wheezed out a painful breath when Raye elbowed him in the gut. "Raye, honey, it isn't what you think. Serena's completely innocent in all of this, more so if you consider the timing."

"She's the one that spearheaded the entire thing!" Raye bit out. "I know precisely the timing to all of this. She's to blame for everything."

"Darien didn't know, it's true-"

"Serena..." Jace's tone was a warning and Serena stopped talking. There was something he was trying to do and she wasn't helping matters, probably trying to calm Raye down who was only getting angrier every time she heard Serena's voice.

Darien's arm tightened around her at the words spoken between them and he looked down at her with warning eyes too. Then he shook his head at her, trying to tell her that she was wrong to try and explain. "Raye, Serena doesn't even know what you're talking about. Why don't you show her?"

Raye slapped the paper she had in her hand onto the table and managed to walk away, breaking out of Jace's hold. He let her go when her steps lead _away_ from Serena. Serena tried to step forward to look at it, but Darien was in her way and was still acting as a human shield from his own sister. She would have thought it comical, had it been Amy, but Raye really was a danger. She put her hand onto his arm and he slowly released her and lowered it to his side. His eyes were on high alert and was watching all the players in the room.

Serena walked up to the table and spun the paper around so she could read it in the intended direction. That wasn't even necessary because on the cover and the first thing she saw in a huge picture that took up most of the paper, was the image of her and Jace in what appeared to be a lip-lock and quite a one at that. She felt guilty for suddenly feeling so relieved. It wasn't about her and Darien, but it was a matter that could be cleared up and she could go on the way she had been. "He's kissing my cheek." Serena must have still been in a daze if that's all she could manage to say. Her eyes were still scanning the article and she was mildly surprised that they named her in it. Jace she understood, but she wasn't well known out here. At least they thought she was just meeting him for the weekend for a little tete a tete at a hip celebrity location. She breathed another sigh of relief that his intention worked out, they wouldn't be coming here to follow him and get more juicy gossip. It was a good thing they left at different times.

"He shouldn't be kissing any part of you and it certainly doesn't look like a kiss on the cheek! What were you doing there with him? To cheat on Andrew you had to go all the way to Jackson Hole?"

"It's true Raye, sweetie." Jace was turned towards her now. "I kissed her on the cheek and only for the purposes of the photo. I thought it would be a nice distraction so I could come here."

"It's true, they think I live in Florida right now, so they've headed that way instead of here." Serena agreed. "I didn't even know about the photojournalist and he sprung that kiss on me unexpectedly."

"I only had to do that because you sought me out and were having dinner with me."

"I was only having dinner with you because you joined me unexpectedly at _my_ table."

"At my favorite restaurant in Jackson Hole."

"Because that's the only place in which I could find you, as you didn't give me directions. I was only there under your orders."

"Because you were seeking _me _out."

"Ok, ok, I get it, the two of you aren't romantically involved. God if I didn't know better, I'd say the two of you, hell the four of you were related. The only sane blond around her is Andrew. And that includes Hadley and Zolton!"

Serena couldn't help but laugh at this current swing in conversation. "Then we're all doomed."

Raye's eyes sharpened on Serena. "Why were you seeking him out anyway?" Suspicion, Serena realized despite the unintentional humor, was never far from Raye's eyes.

"To get him back together with _you_." Serena told her honestly and hoped that it shined through, because that was the only reason for going down there. "I disliked him from the start, he's only improved in my eyes because you love him and he's shown he loves you too."

"Haha, I never liked you either." Jace said dryly. "See if I try to stop her again."

"I think that's why you didn't in the first place." Serena couldn't help but get that jab back at him, and less focused, at Raye. "We'll have matching bruises now."

There was still unease at the corner of her eyes as she slowly looked from first one to the other. "Is that the true story?"

"Yes." Serena and Jace said together. Serena picked up from there. "I only went down there because I had been searching for him, for you and the baby."

"I agreed to meet up with her because I knew it wasn't you on the other end of the connection and I wanted to see if she wanted money and to make sure she didn't hurt you." Jace continued. "The kiss was only on the cheek and it was impulsive and I sprung it on her, just for the photographer."

"I don't see why they have your name in here." Raye tapped at the paper still sitting out.

"I'm big news." Serena tried to make it a joke, because really she wasn't if she could be here for any length of time.

Raye though believed her. "I think the two of you should have told me."

"When?" Jace asked with a lifted brow. "Earlier this week when I arrived, or after you finally gave in and let me near you again? Tonight was the first time you let me hold your hand. I wasn't going to go and spoil it by something that didn't matter and I even forgot about it." Serena nodded, that was true, she had as well. "I might have left you, but that was only after you kicked me so far out of your life that if I wanted to find a place to stay, I had to be in Helena. If I was going to be that far away, I might as well have just left, which I did." Jace grinned. "Besides, I was a free man technically, allowed to do whatever I wanted."

Raye glowered at him. "You might have been, but did you have to do it with my employee? She's married."

Serena felt like things were smoothing out, and if this was Raye's reaction to a misplaced kiss, there was no way she'd still be standing here if the truth came out about her and Darien. She vowed never to let it happen again, she'd continue being a model employee and she'd sit on her hands if she had to. Too much depended on her ability to keep this job.

"I think your madder because she's your friend." Jace saw right through her and Serena was impressed by how well Jace knew and handled Raye. Not many people were able to do so when she went flying off the handles. It didn't happen too often, but her siblings seemed to be the only ones to calm her down, if they didn't cause it in the first place. Even Serena ended up burnt if Raye was angry enough, Serena was upbeat but Mina was more so and because of that slight difference, Mina was able to get through where Serena couldn't.

"Maybe." Raye allowed grudgingly. "But she is married. She should have told you."

"I saw the ring." Jace held her gaze and Serena felt like she was imposing on a private affair and really she had been intending to go to bed. Darien opened the door for her when she decided to sneak out. "I did it anyway. Serena's innocent in all of this, trying to do you a favor."

"Serena!" Raye's voice snaked out and caused her spine to straighten as she turned slowly back to the still simmering dark haired girl. "I'm sorry for jumping to such an extreme reaction. You still have your job if you want it." That was probably the best apology she was going to get out of Raye and her acceptance was already on her tongue when Darien's voice overrode hers.

"That's not good enough Raye, you _slapped_ her."

Raye glared at her brother for a long moment before she swallowed some air and turned to Serena again. "I'm sorry I slapped you. That was unacceptable. Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?"

"No, really it's-"

"A pay increase and some time off. I promised her I would show her the dog-sledding." He never did show her that, she realized and she had been so excited to see some huskies. "We'll need a few days."

"A few days?" Serena asked surprised and Darien's eyes turned to her and he nodded, though she couldn't help but feel his eyes were telling her to shut it.

"That's fine. Are you taking Andrew with you?" Raye was willing to give the absent man a few days off as well.

"No, I think not, he's already been." Darien spoke over Serena's response, and she wondered not for the first time what he was up to. She couldn't help but watch him. "It'll be an expense on your tab."

"Seeing as how I know you've been supplementing my tab, it's actually on yours." Raye snipped, her ire starting to flare up again, and this time with a topic that people had learned to avoid. Raye did not appreciate her brother's hand outs.

"Anyways, we're going this week." Darien stated smoothly. "Tuesday through Thursday evening."

"Fine."

"We'll leave the two of you to it, then." Dairen's arm came out and wrapped around Serena's waist so quickly that it surprised her but he was already carrying her from the room and shutting the door that she didn't have a chance to react. He managed to pull her down the hallway several doors before she dug her heels in.

"What do you think you're doing?"

He turned to her, looked around the hallway then opened a door for her. She entered and before she could bolt, he shut it again. She knew this room, this was the scene of their last indiscretion. "We're not having a repeat performance of Thanksgiving." She warned turning to him and folding her arms over her chest unaware of what that did.

"Thank god for small mercies." He tried to look anywhere but at her chest or in her eyes, but had to look at one or else this conversation might not go off correctly. "I need to talk to you." He took a step forward and every step he took she took one back. "I'm not going to hurt you. I want- well hell, I want _you_."

"You can't have me." Serena didn't know what emotion she should be feeling right now. "You'd hate me a second afterwards even if I let you have me."

"Not... not like that." Darien threw his hands down towards the ground, then one lifted and forked through his hair, causing it to get messed up and she couldn't help but think the dishevelment made him look boyish and if at all possible, more attractive. "I'm not making myself very clear."

"Then by all means, do clear the air." Serena waved at him to continue, a strange little flourish that was attractive in its own right and he wanted to take her hand and kiss every part of it but she wasn't making things easy.

"Let's start anew, come here and let me see your face in the proper lighting." He beckoned her not so much with a gesture, but a look and she felt herself taking steps forward before she halted and backed off hastily.

"No. You can't touch me and I can't touch you. _Especially_ not in this room. Not after- not after that." Serena couldn't handle it right now, Raye had physically done her harm and mentally too. She had threatened to kick both Andrew and her out for a _kiss_ and not even a real kiss, but one on the cheek. Albeit it it looked like more than that, but if she went from that to going off with Darien to do the dirty, then she was no better than the names Raye had called her. What would Raye do if she discovered Darien and Serena doing _that_. Serena was too afraid to find out.

"_Serena_!" Darien was frustrated with her and she winced back, which only seemed to make him angrier. "I'd never use violence on you. I'm not going to step closer to you, you need to come towards me." He held his hands out low and open and he was trying to calm his tone so the fact that she was afraid of him didn't appear to bother him.

"I'm not afraid of you." Serena took a step forward. "Not like you seem to think at least. I'm afraid of what we'll do and who will find us in a compromising position. I can't let that happen." But she took another step towards him and was in touching distance.

"I'll try to control myself." He said it wryly but they both knew it was an issue they both shared, being able to control their actions in regards to the other person. He reached away to turn on the desk light and then reached out to gently tip her chin up and over. He hissed through his teeth as he saw the damage. "I'll see if I can find Zolton."

Serena's hand covered his. "No."

"It's a scratch, it might leave a scar if you don't get stitches."

"It's not that deep." She knew it too, there was no way it could be. "Don't bother him. I'll heal on my own."

His hand was slowly rotating under hers so their palms touched and he squeezed her hand back. "There'll be a nasty bruise tomorrow."

"I'll deal with the fallout. It's too late for ice." Serena promised him and was surprised when he drew her forward and then softly pressed kisses along her tender flesh. She arched against him, her body reacting to his nearness and tenderness. "Darien-"

"Don't resist, just let go and let things be as they are." His mouth was next to her ear and the quiet instructions were exactly what she wanted to do, but she told herself she couldn't do. He'd hate her all over again if she gave in, and she'd hate herself for being so weak against him. But he was pressing kisses along her jaw and then over her pulse point in her neck and it jumped at the touch. She felt him smile into it and then lifted his head to cover her mouth with his.

She groaned as she let go and kissed him back. He drew her back with him to one of the couches and sat, bringing her with him onto his lap. His hands encircled her waist and the kisses seemed to go on forever. Her hands ran up his chest and then rested on his shoulders for a moment before one slid into his hair and the other down his back. His slid up her sides and along her ribcage, taking her shirt up with them and then up over her head. For a moment reality splintered in, as the shirt got caught in her hair and they had to untangle it, but then it was free and then so was her bra. Her hands fisted where they had returned and he hummed in appreciation to his hair being pulled like that. His head tipped back and for a moment she knew he trusted her as he was vulnerable with his neck exposed like that.

She lowered her head to kiss down the column of his throat and settled her lips over his Adams apple. It bobbed and he swallowed hard, causing it to rise and then lower again.

His hands slid back down to her hips and raised her off of him slightly as his head came back up and his lips made their way across her collarbone and then across the flat portion of her upper chest, the slight stubble after hours of not shaving scratched at her skin in a purely male way. Her body shivered in anticipation. His head dipped lower and-

There was a knock on the door. Serena scrambled for her bra as Darien found her shirt on the ground and tossed it to her. "Darien, open up, we need to talk." The voice on the other end was all too familiar. "I couldn't find Serena to appropriately apologize to her. Your ranch is a lot larger than I thought."

"Jace!" Darien was barely holding in his flash of temper. "Serena's-" He looked to her and she was just managing the shirt over her head. He gave her a distraught look as he saw how messed up her hair was and he hadn't even touched it other than to get the shirt off it. His was bound to be worse. "Serena's... in here. We were talking ourselves. You've come at a bad time."

"Serena? Serena I swear Raye's not with me, I sent her to bed, I was angry enough with her that's she's seriously contrite. I need to talk to you."

"About what? I'm kind of not in the mood right now. That seriously upset me." She gave Darien a 'what can I do?' look back, they both didn't know what to do in this moment.

"It's about where she got the article from." Jace's words caught both their attention and they quickly straightened up the other and Serena returned to the couch, trying to appear normal as Darien opened up the door.

"Where'd she get it from?" Darien asked before it fully opened to grant him entrance.

"You'll never believe it, but Fred gave it to her."

"Fred?" Darien was surprised. "Why?"

"Beats me. He saw it in there and waited until now to give it to her when we were all here and in a good mood. I thought that was odd." Jace looked over to Serena. "I really am sorry, I should have said something to her, especially after finding out about your own handicap that day."

"People make too big of a deal about it." Serena waved it off. "I'm fine and I was fine too."

"Until you came home and collapsed." Darien inserted and Serena refused to look at him.

"Fine." Serena repeated and Jace laughed.

"If that's your definition of fine, then I never want to be around for bad."

"_She_ probably won't be around."

"That's mean." She stuck her tongue out at him and Darien's eyes narrowed onto it and she quickly drew it back in. "What could Fred have gained by sharing it?" Though she was pretty sure the man didn't like her.

"I don't know. I'll have to ask him about it, but it can wait until tomorrow." Darien's words had a finality to it.

Jace agreed and he turned towards the door but he turned to look at Serena once more. "Would you like an escort to your room?"

"I'll do that." Darien cut in before Serena could answer but Jace kept waiting.

"He's right, we never did finish our discussion." Serena wasn't sure she _wanted_ to finish that discussion or what his reaction would be now. Jace nodded and left the room, Darien shut the door behind him and turned to Serena. He took a step forward and Serena couldn't really back away, she was still sitting.

Darien took a seat at the coffee table in front of her and released some of the tension in his upper body. "I really did have honorable intentions in getting you in here. I wanted to see your cheek, but things got carried away a little."

"Only a little." She agreed.

"We need to talk about that, but it can wait. Is it true what you and Jace told my sister?"

"Are we back to not believing me? I thought we had finally gotten over that hurdle." Serena tried to look away but Darien didn't let her. His thumb turned her back to him.

"I believe you. I just wanted to hear it from you when we're alone, things tend to be clearer then."

"Really?" She shook her head in disbelief. "I wish I could share your thoughts on the matter. My head just gets more jumbled up when we're alone."

"But honest."

"Yeah..." She supposed he could say that, maybe not complete honesty, but more so than she was being with everyone else. "Look, about this week, how do you think everyone else will view it, the two of us going away on a non-work related thing?"

"As what I've set in motion for them to believe. They don't suspect anything between the two of us and they might be interested in everyone else's lives but they have no way of knowing about us. They'll see it as me doing you a nice favor, the only one having the time to take off and show you before it gets too cold and too icy to drive up there for fun."

"January is right around the corner, isn't it?" Serena took a deep breath. "You're really planning on showing me the huskies, and this isn't just an excuse to get me out of town to have your wicked way with me?"

A smirk ghosted Darien's features for a moment. "I might still."

"You've gone through a lot of trouble to kill me, when I might have done it myself a few times and it could easily be taken off of your hands."

"I really am going to show you the huskies and we'll even be staying on their camp for a night. Full immersion deal."

Serena's eyes lit up in excitement. "We'll feed them and race them and whatever else?"

"It's a training camp, so yeah, short races and things like that."

She slowly settled down. "Wait, why are you doing this?"

"You need to get out of town, so do I. I forgot how cooped up I could feel in such an environment and every time you leave on your own, you always have problems coming back. I'll be there this time to ensure it doesn't happen."

"My hero." The dryness in her voice was felt by the man across from her and he grinned to let her know that wasn't the true reason, though it did play a part.

"Besides, I promised you about a month ago that we'd do this, I'm carrying through on that promise. Think of it as... a Christmas gift."

"You already got me a gift."

"No, I got you an employee gift and a 'I can't believe I'm hosting this stuff again, here, have this on me just so my sisters don't bug out at me' gift. This is a friendly gift and for putting up with me in our small office."

"It's hardly small. It's as big as the rental shop below us and we don't have all that equipment." But Serena knew when to stop arguing a point and this was the time. "Thank you Darien, really, this is one of the nicest gifts anyone has ever given me. What did you give Raye and Amy?"

"You saw them."

"The scarves?" Serena lifted a brow. "That's hardly a brother gift. Or at least a brother gift when he's close to his sisters."

"Not the scarves. They were wearing them today. I gave them their presents yesterday."

"What?"

"Their dresses. They're designer dresses by their favorites and in their own particular styles. It was the least I could do when they spent so much on this watch." He held up his wrist and it was a nice watch, very male and fit his wrist nicely. She was surprised she hadn't seen it before, but then again, it was covered by his sleeve.

Serena nodded, not sure where to go from there. It was late and it was Christmas. She could still hear merry-making down the hall in the main rooms. "I'm going to go to bed." She stood up and walked around him, and reached for the handle when he put his hand on her arm. "Alone."

"Serena." He slid his hand up to the side of her face and slid his knuckles across her jaw. She leaned into his touch. Her hand came up to his and covered it lightly. "Good night, have good dreams and I'll see you on Monday if I don't see you for breakfast."

She nodded and slipped out the door. Her fingers lingering as she went, brushing over the back of his hand and then she was gone.

–

EAN: Quick question about Sailor Lead Crow, is it lee-d or is it led? I only ask as it's come upon me quite recently as I never really did get to stars as much as the first 2.5 seasons and I skipped a lot of the inbetween ones, but I started thinking is she the leader lead or the metal lead? I'm thinking its closer to the second one. I can't stand the dub version of SM arcs in the later seasons once Rini shows up, and I have my hands on both the Japanese version and the manga but somehow I can't seem to find time to sit down and watch/read them.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

AN: AM, you'll be pleased to note that it was either this chapter or the next one that I took something out that would have bothered you. Sometimes I think its because I want to put so much into something that I need to scale back and edit. I usually keep it to a minimum but sometimes it gets out of hand. You should see me in other aspects of my life, I usually try to put so much together. I guess its like accessorizing, put on everything you want to wear and then take off three items. Then its perfect. I do this with my stories too but sometimes things slip by me and sometimes its intentional. The ones that have been kept are intentional, or at least in as so far as I've managed to write by now. There's still a lot of story to be told. :) I'm thinking another 10 chapters? But at least we'll be on the downward swing of things now.

AN2: Thanks everyone for your lovely reviews!

–

On Monday she first went to the studio to get in some morning practice with some of the girls and boys who'd asked for additional practice. They were presenting tonight. Yes it was after Christmas, but it was better this way, between holidays, and people were still celebrating it, would be celebrating until mid January in various pockets. Later tonight they'd hold a multiple city performance in Pony.

She wanted to see Darien, but she was a little frightened about her reaction whenever he was near so she dinked around with her students longer than she had been planning. It was like she had no control whenever she spent significant amount of time alone with him outside the office. How was she going to handle a weekend in the middle of the week with him?

Serena reached the office far earlier than she would have liked and she delayed going up by popping in to see Mina. The girl tipped over in her chair, not that she was too sturdy in it to begin with and then jumped up to her feet. She started blathering and it was too fast for Serena to follow and that was saying something. "Mina!" Serena held out her hands and caught the other blond. "What's the matter?"

"Oh! I just... I wasn't expecting you and you surprised me. I'm so excited to see that you've finally decided to come down here and see me. This is a first from you." Serena felt a little guilty after that, felt like she was being remiss on her friendships, but she felt a little overrun with all the things she did, but maybe she could do more. "Let me show you what I do all day down here."

Serena laughed. "All right, but I can't be down here all day, I have to go upstairs at some point. I've already pushed it off as much as I could."

Mina waved it off. "Say you're gone for work purposes. If Darien wasn't here, you wouldn't have to account to anyone and could do your work anywhere. He's just there to spy on you." Mina sounded upset about it. "Things would have been much more simple if he just stayed in D.C." Then her eyes grew huge. "I like Darien and all, but it's difficult when Raye and Amy's brother is around. They're friends but there is always a thread of authority coloring all the actions, in case they decide to fire me."

"But you've been here for _years_ they wouldn't fire you, would they?"

"Probably not but there's certain lines you don't cross professionally, you know? That's why you're so great. You're an employee but not really, they've just decided to give you a job, something they need sure, but only because you have the skills and you've tagged along with Andrew."

Serena rolled her eyes and was frankly tired of hearing or being reassured that she didn't have a job because she was tied to Andrew. That her own skills had created this position and they were lucky to have her.

Mina seemed to realize she was just digging herself into a hole. "Right, so most of the time I'm just sitting here, especially in the mornings. By the afternoon there are several people that have come through, and I get them their skis and size the boot latches or snowboard bindings."

Serena understood that, she'd seen it the few times she'd been dragged out onto the runs. "Right, right."

"So afterwards, ah here." Mina greeted one of the kids by name who came for the early runs and then headed back up to Helena for afternoon classes. While Mina checked back in the rentals, Serena talked to the boy.

"Are you from Helena and came down here because you like the runs?"

"Nah, I'm from Idaho and decided to go to school in Helena. I heard about this place through their website, it's one of the top search results for runs near Helena. The web designers' are pretty great. Its fun but its easy to get through all the different information I needed to find. Awesome playlist too."

"Playlist?" Mina asked, hip-checking Serena and leaning against the counter next to her. "What playlist?"

"While you're searching through the pages, there's a playlist for each of the pages and its not the same song on a loop. You can stop it if you want and its not obnoxiously loud when you go on, just a subtle background. Other times they blast it at you and you practically jump until you can find the stop button or have to turn off the volume altogether on your computer just to stop it. That's annoying."

Serena beamed but didn't say anything, she just pushed away and thanked him for his time as Mina finished with him. Then Mina came over and showed her how they put their stuff away. Readjusting, cleaning, making sure they were waxed and still working. She eyed Mina after awhile critically. "Doesn't this bore you stiff? This is so repetitive and takes up absolutely no brain power."

Mina shrugged. "It allows my mind to roam and think of new events or work through other details. Besides, it allows me to do what I love the most, talk to people. Sometimes I find out really amazing stories from people you wouldn't expect, just passing through."

"I suppose I can respect that." Serena looked at Mina curiously. "What do you do when you're not here?"

"I'm an event planner. I freelance for major competitors, I get most of my business in the spring through fall seasons and that's why I don't stick around here. That's where I get most of my funding to slack off too, these people pay, but not as much as New Yorkers."

"You live in New York during your off season? How did I not know that?"

"We don't get as much time to talk as I'd hope for. You're usually too busy with Michelangelo or Andrew to spend time with me."

"That's not true." Serena felt slightly offended again. "I try to spread my time spending with everyone who wants it. If you wanted to hang out, all you had to do was say so."

"I guess you're right. I'm just used to people coming to me for attention instead of the other way around." Mina grinned. "I apologize."

Serena waved her off. "No worries, now I really should get back upstairs. I started this new idea on Friday and it's been eating up at me to finish it."

"What's the idea?"

"Can't tell you yet, it's still in the planning stages. I have to get permission first from the Shields before I can make it official."

"Hard to do when you're leaving for the next few days." Mina's eyes were on Serena's face though. "Afraid that people will notice?"

Serena's eyes shot to Mina in surprise. "Notice?"

"The face." Mina reached out carefully and ran a finger across the cut that was noticeable through all the makeup. "It's still swollen. Who hit you? Andr-"

"No." Serena stated firmly. "No." She had to make it clear to Mina that Andrew was not behind it and still manage to get away with not telling her the details. Raye had been in intense emotional duress, she was pregnant and upset and wasn't thinking straight. She shouldn't have struck out like she did, but it was just a slap and it hadn't meant to draw blood.

Mina held her gaze steady for a long time before she looked away. "Well if not Andrew, who?"

"I'd rather not say. It was a misunderstanding and I'm over it and I highly doubt it will ever happen again."

Sighing heavily Mina sank back into her chair. "Good job with the make up, by the way, nobody else will notice a thing unless they get close enough. Andrew's the only one I haven't known for years, so I'm sorry for assuming it was him right away. The only one with a temper hot enough to strike a girl otherwise would be Raye and there's no reason to, if there was, you'd be out on the street."

"Only Raye?" Serena asked, purely in curiosity, she hadn't seen anyone else with the capability either.

"Yeah, Darien's all bark but unless someone is actually threatening someone he loves, he won't lay a hand on them and if he did, it'd probably be a restraining hand, not one to harm."

"But his scars-"

Mina's eyes lifted to Serena's again and she could read the pain in them, Mina knew the story behind it, but she wasn't going to tell. "Ask him if you want to know. I doubt he'll tell you, I only found out because I was around for when it happened."

"They don't look that fresh." Not that Serena knew too much about scars, but they looked like he grew with them, as if they were a part of him for such a large part of his life that he didn't even notice anymore.

"I've been coming here for a lot longer than you think. I first found out about this place by accident and I was one of the first guests. I was probably in my early teens when they opened and I was here for that very first year."

"Wow." Serena never would have guessed, not with the way Mina talked and the way she was. "Is that how you and Michelangelo hooked up and then decided to work here?"

"I met him in New York, for awhile I was a model and we hit it off, doing a lot of photoshoots together and worked at the same agency. We were nothing more than friends but I told him about this place. I even brought him here that year and he started out just skiing the hills. Over time we came up with the idea to do events together and pitched it to them. They've always been good to us and we've decided to work where we love to play. It's been good ever since. A lot of employees have stories like that, it really is a family business."

Serena mulled that over as she headed upstairs, giving Mina a hug goodbye and she felt like she could use that somehow, more than just telling people, she could _show_ them that it was the truth and this place was nothing like they'd ever seen before. But how? Short of testimonials and pictures, she couldn't figure out a good way to share this practice with the rest of the world.

She opened the door and Darien lifted his head to toss her a welcoming smile and greeting. Then he went back to his work and she felt like she had dreamed up the entire Christmas encounter.

A few minutes later as he clicked a few buttons and then tilted his screen down so he could give her his full attention, she knew why. "Zolton called, said he'd seen you downstairs with Mina and once you finished, you should give him a ring."

"Oh." Serena fished out her phone. "Did he say why?"

"No, just that he needed to speak with you." Then he went back to his work.

Serena got hold of Zolton and talked to him shortly. "He'll be here in a few minutes." Sure enough, Zolton was knocking on the door not long later and Serena let him in. "We could have done this down at the hospital."

"It's all right, I was here anyways and its not really a confidentiality thing. I just need to take a blood sample and do a final check up. Do you mind if Darien's here?" Zolton hesitated, wondering if this time she would, Darien had been there for most of the other visits he'd had with Serena over the last few months.

"No, it's all right." But it was a little awkward as Zolton checked her eyes, ears and throat. Then listened to her heart and lungs all the while the blood he'd drawn was reacting with a chemical he'd put into a vile and another would go through other testing once they got back to the hospital. Once he finished with the physical he shook the first vile and looked at it with a microscope. "Good, the results are very promising. Your heart seems fine, I didn't hear any issues and you can start up with the marriage benefits with Andrew again."

"And dancing?"

Zolton grinned and Serena couldn't believe what came out of his mouth next. "I'm not sure what goes on behind your closed doors, but I would think dancing is less taxing than that."

"You haven't seen the way I dance, then."

"I have, actually." Darien was choking on his own air at the desk. Zolton chuckled. "I suppose I have overstayed my welcome. Those words were not meant for Amy's brother to hear."

Serena laughed with him and showed him the door, completely surprised by the frankness Zolton was capable of. "I never realized he was so witty." She had, but not in that sense.

"I think it will take me awhile to get the idea that my sisters are fully grown women out of my head again. I like to pretend that kisses are as far as those two go."

"Amy and Zolton?"

"No, both Amy and Raye."

"One of them is pregnant!" Serena protested and Darien was shaking his head at her.

"Obviously you do not have a sibling. If you did, you wouldn't want to know, much less imagine them doing anything behind closed doors. Only yourself and complete strangers are allowed that, and even then complete strangers might be too hard or painful to imagine."

Serena shook her head at the ridiculous notion of his thoughts, but she supposed he was right, there were certain people that it was better to maintain the idea that they were not active in the bedroom. "Ok, I suppose you have a point."

Darien came over to the couch and sank onto the cushion next to her when he had two to chose from. Well, three, but she really didn't want him as close to her as sitting on hers would entail. They were supposed to be working and she felt her nerves fluttering with how close he already was. He reached out and brushed the hair that fell into her face behind her ear. "It's looking all right, I could have sworn yesterday, before you left it was red."

"Cleverly hidden with makeup." Serena told him cheerfully. "I'm just trying to down play it for everybody. It's nothing and I don't hold a grudge against your sister."

"Well you should, and you shouldn't down play it for her, she should know exactly what she did to you." He was trying to remain calm for her, but it was obvious he had to control his temper, he was not pleased by what his sister had done or how she was handling it.

Serena laced her fingers with Darien's and drew his hand down to her lap. "Don't worry about it, I can handle this." His blue eyes showed all the concern he felt and she leaned in to kiss him, intending just a short peck on his lips to show how much she appreciated it, but it turned quickly on her and she couldn't even blame him for spearheading this one.

Then she was groaning as she pulled away.

"What are we doing?" She asked, sitting back and putting distance between them. "We have finally gotten to a point where we can be friendly with one another, if we do anything here, all of these months and all of our efforts go out the window."

He reached a hand towards her and she scrambled back. He sighed and dropped it. "You're right, we have gotten to a good point between the two of us and now, today, isn't the right time to talk about it. We'll have plenty of time to hash this out over the next few days and today is busy enough as it is."

"That's true." Serena's look was very appreciative of how understanding he was being and he rose to his feet and headed back to his desk. She shifted and pulled her computer to her to work some more. Every once in awhile her eyes would lift to look at him and it took more and more effort to look away. It was with even more effort that she dragged herself out of the building when her time was up. She stopped at the door and turned to look at him, this had gone better than she thought it would and that was a mixed blessing. "I'll see you at the show later tonight?"

"Wouldn't miss it." He tossed her one of his infamous grins and she had to hold onto the door before she melted into a puddle.

"Good to hear." Then she made her escape. Not from him, but from her own responses. She ran until she reached the studio and halted to a stop at the change of the room. They had all banded together for costumes and Serena was incredibly surprised at the difference in the room.

"Mom made us a bunch." One of the boys said when he noticed her face. "She's a good seamstress."

Serena fingered a few of the pieces still hung up and she nodded dumbly. "Boy is she ever. I haven't seen costumes this good since- well they almost look like every day clothes. I have to get your mom a front seat ticket."

The boy laughed. "She'd like that, but if she sits too close she'll be worrying about every stitch. Better make it the second or third row so she can't see the details as well."

Serena grinned and rubbed his head. "I'll do that." There was a knock on the door and Serena looked around to make sure all the children were dressed before opening it. "Michelangelo!" She greeted and gave him entrance to the room. "Here for some last minute advice?"

The show was going to go on at 6, not to late so it wouldn't be as cold, and not too early that people couldn't eat before or after. That only gave them an hour to finish getting ready. They were going to have the show on an outdoor stage near the giant tree that someone had strung lights up on near the edge of town. Thankfully it was on their edge of town. She had Hadley to thank for putting that together, along with Michelangelo and Mina. They'd helped organize it. She'd gotten them all thank you gifts, they were various winter animals in the different snow-globes but they were nicely done and not cheap looking though they didn't cost her too much. They really had gone above and beyond for absolutely no funding. They weren't even selling tickets to this thing, just to get people interested in dance again and to support the children.

Hotaru came up to them and Michelangelo's attention was pulled away to help her instead of answering Serena. But he did toss her a smile and then she turned to close the door when she saw Andrew walking up the way. "Drew! She tossed her arms around his neck for a proper greeting. He returned her hug but bear-sized.

"Can't sit by and let the two of you get all the credit, now can I?" Andrew teased kissing her on the cheek. "Where can I start?"

Serena didn't even need to say anything as kids pulled him in as well, asking questions and looking for his advice. Serena finished setting up the final details with some of the older kids who would direct the younger ones. Then she ushered them all out, they didn't have very far to go, but she knew there were a thousand last minute crises that would be dealt with in the minutes leading up to it. No matter how prepared anyone was, there was always things to deal with. They met Mina at the stage and she gave them what information she had and helped out as much as she could.

Michelangelo and Andre took their seats, Mina joined them a few minutes later and Serena steeled her nerves before she walked out onto the stage. She was wearing a simple outfit of black pants and a green top. "Hi, welcome to what I hope is going to be an annual event. I was skiing for my very first time when a group of girls caught my attention and we chatted for a little while. They somehow managed to make me commit to a dance studio and lessons. I managed to convince some of my friends here to help out when they could and we have watched those girls, others they've dragged along and a very talented number of boys grow and flourish over the last few months. I have been honored to work with them, and I hope you enjoy what we have put together." She walked off stage and nodded to the man who was controlling the music and her dancers started coming out on stage.

There was a seat for her in the audience, but she preferred to stay back here with them, and watch from the sidelines as they awed and amazed the crowd. Most of them were parents, but there were a few unrelated members out there and several guests who had caught wind of the event. They all danced beautifully, even the ones who weren't as talented as the others knew what they had to do and executed it with style. Serena couldn't help the grin on her face and the words of positive encouragement every time one of them came off stage towards her.

Near the end, when the scenes and dramatic moments were getting more intense, they hit a note on the pinnacle moment and snow started fluttering down around them. It was a perfect visual representation of what they were doing and there had been no way to plan that. It was great. The snow could have come later and it would have worked as well, but that felt right to her. The stage itself was shielded and so she didn't worry about them slipping on it and they finished up smoothly.

Serena was going to go congratulate all of them after their bows when someone spoke behind her, causing her to jump. "You should feel very proud of yourself." She spun towards the speaker and she couldn't help it, her arms wrapped around the older woman and squealed in surprised delight. "Nice to see you too." The woman rubbed Serena's back. "I think you missed your calling as a choreographer. Those were not the typical arrangements to those songs."

"I didn't do it to showcase myself, I did it to showcase their abilities, even the ones that were struggling but had passion for it."

"I know my dear, why do you think I always had you as the lead?"

Serena shook her head. "What are you doing out here? I thought you said you knew someone in the area that would possibly stop in for a view."

"I lied. I was in the area myself and I couldn't help but go to one of my old students' productions. I'm always interested in what they're doing now. But we should talk about this later, right now you have to go back out there." Serena felt a little push towards the stage and after another quick hug with her old teacher she ran up there with her pupils.

"Thank you everyone for coming! We're having some hot chocolate and apple cider in the lodge for anyone who'd like to chat and I hope to see all of you there. Right now though, these lovely students need to go get changed and put on something warmer." Serena followed them back to the studio, but kept looking around for her own teacher but couldn't find her. She should have invited her to the studio and introduced her to everyone when she still had a control on the situation. Oh well, she'd do it in the lodge and she helped some of the kids with the more difficult costumes get back into their street clothes.

Arms enfolded her and she was lifted off her feet and spun around. She knew exactly who it was and she grinned down at him. "That was excellent! I know I've been here for a lot of the rehearsals and learning portions, but I cannot believe how well that went off!" Andrew was just singing her praises and behind him she saw both Michelangelo and Darien enter. They were nodding along to what he was saying.

"I was quite impressed." Darien agreed and then turned his attention to the students who turned to look at their new comers. "You all have a lot to be proud of. Each and every one of you did an amazing job. I would be very surprised if I don't see at least one of you on Broadway in the future."

Serena tried to hide her wince, that goal was a bit lofty to put on secondary students from Pony, Montana. Though nothing was impossible, it was just harder when there wasn't any training or lack of it for a long time. Even with training their entire life it wasn't a guarantee to entrance to the top street for dancers.

Michelangelo knew better though and he caught Serena's eye and communicated back exactly what she was thinking. He cleared his throat. "Right, you all have earned a special treat. I'm going to buy you all proper equipment so you can enjoy practice that much more. Starting next week, because teacher is going to take time off, again."

There were a few moans at the news. "Again?" Seemed to be the common thread and Serena turned to them once Andrew let her down.

"Hey! I've been here every day I could, I'm not taking a break, I'm just getting new ideas for the Spring show!" The kids were excited to hear about that and Serena beamed. "Now, I also have another surprise for you, so stick close once we get to the lodge, I'm going to introduce you to my instructor when I was your age. She surprised me at the end of the show by appearing backstage."

Excited murmurs spread along the room and Serena turned to talk to the men. "I think you just secured your place as favorite person in this generation." Darien complimented.

Serena waved that off. "I just speak their language. There are a lot of other students who couldn't stand dance and wouldn't care who I am."

"You got over half the student population." Michelangelo countered. "I think you've rocked the vote. You've squeezed both Andrew and myself out."

"Excuse me, but I'm the resident favorite."

"That's because you're the only resident, when you deem to claim it at least." Michelangelo argued. "Andrew and I are out there entertaining them every day while you're in a stuffy office."

"That office isn't stuffy." Serena mentioned casually and he had to concede that point to her but it was still an office.

"We'll see you back at the lodge." Darien pushed Michelangelo out of the building and the two of them were scuffling and laughing as they walked away.

Andrew kept his arms wrapped loosely around her waist and lowered his head so it rested on hers. "Man, I'm going to miss you over these next few days. I wish I could go see the huskies."

Serena lifted her eyes but couldn't see him so looked back out over the students, watching and waiting for anyone who needed help or until they all finished. They didn't bother with the makeup removal, they'd learn over time to get rid of it as fast as they could. "I thought you already saw them."

"I have, back in October, but I love those dogs. The next job change I get, I'm going to be out there working with them."

"You'd miss the people."

"They've got a lot of people and some rotating shifts I could probably click into. But you're right, I'd miss these people too much to leave full time."

"I'm sure you could come with us if you want. There's plenty of room in the car."

"Nah, someone's got to work and besides, if I go, then there's just less time to spend with as many huskies. I'd probably take them all away from you in my selfish desire to have all of them to myself."

Serena laughed and rested her hands on his, leaning back into his wide chest. "I don't think you could ever be selfish."

"I might surprise you." But he lifted his head to rest a kiss there instead and squeezed her tighter to him. "Have fun up there, and make sure you come back safe."

"You're sounding as if you won't see me off."

"I have to work the early shift tomorrow and we're having a meeting before that, so I just might not. And once we get to the lodge tonight, I'm fairly confident that I won't get a chance to talk to you privately before you crash."

"I'm the only one crashing?"

"You're the only one who has been running around all day. I at least am conditioned for what I've been doing. But I might crash too, early start tomorrow and it is somewhat tiring no matter how used to it you are."

"That's more like it." Serena teased and she couldn't help the smile playing along her lips. Right now, everything was going great, it was far from perfect but as far as the situation allowed, it was nearly so.

When everyone was finally done she shuffled them to the lodge and though Andrew tried to stay by her side as much as possible, he was right, she hardly had a moment to sip from her glass of apple cider, much less have a breathing moment to get deeper into conversation with anyone. Everybody drew her attention and she tried to give more time with her mentor, but she was well aware of what a successful show meant and so encouraged Serena to mingle more.

At one time they did manage to talk and she asked about one student in particular that she was interested in. "She has star-power quality. She was quite amazing, which one is she?" There were details given and Serena lifted a brow.

"That's Yasmine. She really did shine through tonight, she doesn't do so as much in studio. She seems a little bored and no matter what I throw at her, she doesn't try to conquer it. I didn't realize she was taking so much in and digesting it."

"Maybe she just needs the spotlight."

Serena thought about that and tried to recall if she ever made Yasmine front and center. She'd have to try that the next time and told the other woman that too. "I wish Hotaru had more drive for it, she's one of the ones that made it all possible but after awhile she has expressed more interest in sports, especially mountain ones, than dancing."

"You were never very good at sticking to a subject either, Serena. I had to practically hit you with the stick to keep you in line when you were little. You were more interested in running off and saving animals. I saw a lot of your mother in you then and I see even more now."

Serena's lips quivered, she sniffed and brushed back the tears that threatened to make their presence known. It had been a long time since someone brought her mother up, at least someone that had known her too. "Yeah well, that got rubbed out of me. I would never have succeeded as a vet or a doctor. I wasn't smart enough."

"Brain-power was never your problem. It was the blood and consequences of not saving them that you couldn't stomach and it would have destroyed you if you'd gone into it." The woman's eyes were on Serena, waiting for her to respond, but people crowded in on them and Serena never had the chance. She didn't see her old mentor the rest of the night after that.

The night had been a success and despite the fact that Serena hadn't asked for it, several of the town members had donated money for costumes and whatever else to help make the following one even better. They complimented her on a job well done and how well the students had been.

Serena stumbled into her room later that night and collapsed onto the bed, never once having the time to pack for her trip early in the morning. She was too exhausted to even move all night. She was happy for her students and in the back of her mind hoped that this would draw in an even better teacher for next years' Christmas event.

–

EAN: Shorter chapter I know, but its off the back of a super long one. Besides the next few scenes deserve to be in the same chapter, not broken up into two. I felt this to be a good place to end it. And the next chapter is probably super long too... sigh...


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Darien's knock was heavy on the door and it roused Serena sleepily from her bed. She hadn't even bothered to change and Darien's eyes surveyed her critically the moment he saw her. "Go away." She grumbled, if he was going to be like that, it could wait. Her brain wasn't awake enough yet as to _why_ he was knocking on her door looking like a grumpy pants.

He pushed it open when he saw she was going to slam the door. "Have you packed?"

"No." She followed him first into the main room and then into Andrew's bedroom, alarm bells started shooting off in her head but she wasn't awake enough yet to catch up to the cause. She practically ran into his back as he looked into the closet behind the door he ripped open.

"Where are all your clothes? You know what, never mind, don't answer that." He turned and picked her up, bringing her into the main room again and dumping her onto a chair by the kitchen. He was going to go through the motions of making her a coffee when he realized that Andrew had left it with almost a full pot and still bubbling. He poured her a cup, mixed it with the right amounts of cream and sugar since they were out of half and half and pushed it into her hand. "Drink." He turned and went through another doorway.

Serena took a few sips of the hot drink when things finally registered and she jumped to her feet. "Oh no!" She rushed in after him and found him at her closet pulling clothing down to throw into a bag. She was only going to be gone a few days and yet he was packing like a female, putting things in there she didn't think she would need. "Hey, wait!" She tried to stop him but he gently pushed her down into a seat.

"Either sit here and watch while drinking your coffee or get a toilet bag ready." Then he turned back to his task, making sure to fold things nicely if he folded them at all. A few got rolled.

Serena jumped back up to her feet and put the coffee on the side table and got a few things out and ready that she didn't want him to deal with. "Why are you packing for me?"

"Because you haven't and I know what you'll need." The bag was almost finished when Serena dumped her stuff in there and he caught her hand. "Answer a few burning questions, please?" She felt like this was a trap but she nodded anyways. "Why are your clothes in this closet?"

That was at least an easy one to fudge about. "Well I have a lot of clothes and they seem to keep multiplying. I thought it best if we occupied separate closets, that way we could have as many clothes as we pleased. This entire room has sort of become my massive walk in."

The next question was the one she was hoping to avoid and knew was coming anyway. "Why is the bed crumpled like you've slept in it?"

"That's because I have. Over the last month Zolton has told us it was better not to put too much stress on my heart. To ensure that, we've slept in separate rooms. I kind of went on autopilot last night and came in here, forgetting what Zolton said in my sleep-fogged mind and really wouldn't have been up to anything anyway." Not with Andrew at any rate, he didn't get her blood zinging just by being near like Darien did. No matter how tired she was, she couldn't imagine saying no to him, if she wasn't consciously trying to say no as much as she was right now.

Darien was looking at her with questions forming in the back of his mind, but he spoke slowly. "I suppose I can understand that, if you were sharing my bed for the last week I might have had a hard time remembering what Zolton said too and wouldn't be able to keep my hands off of you without great restraint."

"Darien-" She hedged, this was not the kind of talking that they should be dabbling in before going away for a few days together.

"Right, right, sorry." He nicked the bag out of her hands and threw it over his shoulder, he picked up the coffee and handed it to her again. "Drink up, you get to be my chatter buddy for the trip up."

"Up?" But she drank like he ordered.

"Didn't anyone tell you we were going not only North but higher in altitude?"

"No. How much further North?" She was a little weary of this plan, how far could they really go?

"Just south of the border to Canada. In fact there are parts where you can legally cross into it without your passport but that's probably because you get checked further on down the road where its flatter."

"Jeez, trying to hand me off to Canadian authorities, are we?" But Serena was excited, she'd never been to Canada, and this was the only time she'd admit to being excited about going to a cold weather place. Canada wasn't high on her list if she could choose, but there were nice things she'd heard about it. The main draw was that she was going with Darien and this was her first time out of the country going Northbound.

He winked at her and steered her out of the room and towards the parking lot. He helped load her in and double checked that they had all the gear they needed. Then they were setting out along the road. Serena couldn't help but feel that this was a bit of deja vu but instead of the first time, they were now sharing a vehicle and she could close her eyes. "Na-uh-uh, I told you, you need to jabber away because I need someone to help me stay awake."

She felt like this was either a gross over-exaggeration or a lie, and she was right but she played into his hands as he'd asked. She chatted to him the whole way up to the area they were going and was surprised when they pulled into a parking lot of a bed and breakfast.

"Tonight I thought it best if we stayed here. Tomorrow during the day and tomorrow night not to mention Thursday morning we will be with the huskies, but I thought since we were coming all this way we could go somewhere else as well. Besides, they don't really like people hanging out for too long on their property while they're in training mode. It gives the dogs too much bonding time with the wrong people."

She was eying him critically as he unloaded some of the stuff in the back and checked in, but she had no say in the matter. Not that she could ever prove him wrong without causing another argument. But she knew bed and breakfast places, they usually had cozy rooms with one bed. She was right as she followed him in and there was just the one bed and the one room. "Didn't you book two rooms?"

"Nope." He grinned cheekily at her. "It'll give you practice for tomorrow."

"What are you talking about?"

"Well we'll have to sleep in the same tent tomorrow and since its so cold, we'll even have to share the same sleeping bag. I figured this way you could practice sleeping so close to me and then you'll be more comfortable tomorrow night so at least you'll get some good sleep if the cold doesn't bother you throughout the night."

"I don't get it."

"Well I figured it was best not to have two nights where you're sleeping in the cold back to back. At least tonight you'll still be warm." He dropped her bag on a chair and then pulled a few items of clothing out of it. "All right, suit up." He tossed her the layers that would keep her warmer in any type of cold weather and she cast him a look.

"Where are we going?" She couldn't help it, she was amused and he only tossed her back a saucy grin. She did as he said, and out of the corner of her eye saw that he was dressing like it too. Then he opened the door for her and they headed back to the car.

They drove for not much longer and he parked near a shed-looking building but it was a bit larger. She hopped out of the car and followed him in. There a few people were putting boots on and she peered closer, metal cleats?

"Serena." His voice was like free-flowing chocolate and she turned to look up at him, he was within touching distance. "Here's your set." She reached out without looking and he closed her hand over the connector. "I'll be there to help you in a minute, if you have trouble." He nodded towards the benches and she walked in a daze over to them and started working her feet into the boots and then the cleats. There were plastic mats under her feet with holes in them to absorb the teeth under her feet and Darien made quick work of his and helped her to a standing position.

As a group they went to the back of the building and one of the employees opened the door. She blinked several times, there in front of her was a wall of ice. She followed the others out and now that the view was uninhibited, she realized it wasn't quite a wall, but more like several layers jaunting off in different directions.

"Listen up, if you take a step, step straight down, the crampons are made to be worn that way, do not take a step as you would while you're walking. The crampons on your feet are sharp so do not get your hand in the way. If you are going up or down a hill, be very careful to get as many points into the ice as you can. This is not a race, it is only for fun, so be safe out there. If there are any beginners with questions, please go on a tour." He joked but nobody laughed. "Any help, come find me and I will straighten things out for you."

His bow had a little flourish to it as he beckoned them to the icy wonderland behind him. Darien wrapped an arm around her waist and tugged her forward. "A little ice trekking to start out." He guided her to a small hill. "I was thinking about going all the way up, just cutting back and forth."

She watched him take a few steps and then charged right in to do it as well. She wasn't afraid of a little challenge. She was doing pretty well for herself and was keeping up with him when they got to a steeper slope. She couldn't walk flat footed here. "Hey, Darien?" She called to him and he instantly figured out the dilemma and he showed her how to use the front end of her crampon first.

She enjoyed this a lot and could see herself taking this up as a hobby or sport in the near future. They were very near the top of the waterfall, probably another fifty feet when the guide from down below shouted out to all of them. "It's getting dark, time to pack it in."

"Best to be going, I thought we had more time." Darien said regrettably and Serena frowned. "We just didn't get here early enough."

"Let's just go straight up and then head down." Serena suggested but Darien caught her wrist before she could try it.

"No." He pointed back towards the several hundreds of feet they had to go. "He wouldn't have called us back if he thought we could do it in time. He's usually watching the clock for the furthest away. That means us. If you tried to go straight up, you'll waste precious time. Come on, let's go."

Serena gave in, this wasn't her sport and doing things like this could be dangerous. So she had to follow the expert opinion and followed him down. She finally got to use the pick-ax that she'd been handed when they took a slightly different route and she used it for balance.

The process for leaving was similar to coming and before getting into the car, Darien pulled her around and kissed her. "Sorry, I've been wanting to do that since the moment I saw you in that get-up. You were so cute. Hell, I've been wanting to do that since I saw you this morning but couldn't be sure if Andrew would walk in on us." She didn't say anything, unsure partly what to say, and partly because she'd wanted him to kiss her all day too.

–

"That was a lot of fun Darien. Thank you for taking me, I would have never thought to do so myself, or would have found out about it far too late to try." Serena told him as they entered the bed and breakfast again and all too soon the truth of what was being kept quiet flared up once more. She didn't know why he only booked one room, this was too greasy for him. She could pretend to ignore it and it was made easier because she enjoyed spending time with him but now she couldn't anymore.

They were both stripping off the heaviest layers so jeans and a sweater were all they needed. Dairen was pulling even that up over his head as he spoke. "So I was thinking a shower and then we'll go out to eat for dinner."

"Darien stop, please tell me the real reason you've brought me here."

"I brought you here for exactly the reason I told you."

"I don't believe you. There's another reason to do this, especially now of all times. It didn't even have to be an overnight trip, maybe an overnight trip, but definitely not two."

"Please, can we do this after the showers?" Darien's tone was enticing and if she didn't know him better, she'd imagine that he was pleading with her but she shook her head.

"No, I want to know now. I don't like this mystery and I won't stand for it for a moment longer."

Darien ran a frustrated hand through his heavy locks. "Now you know how I feel every day since meeting you. I hate this mystery that surrounds you and everything you do but I'm willing to look beyond that. Sit down and we'll talk." He gestured to the small table and the two chairs and she sat. "I angled it this way so we'd have the time to really get through this without a lot of interruptions. So I could tell you my plight on my terms and not have to worry about anyone barging in on us."

"Darien-"

"No, you demanded I tell you, and I'm going to." He held her hand on top of the table. "I needed uninterrupted time with you to lay out my case and hope that you go along with it. I can't do this anymore, I can't live with this secret."

"You brought me all the way up here to tell me that you're having us fired?" Serena felt betrayed, as if she had any room to begin with. But he'd already kept quiet for so long.

"No. I can't handle sitting across the room from you and being unable to touch, afraid that you'll back off or you'll respond and I have to. I want us to be together."

"That's not possible- I'm-"

"Married, I know, believe me, _I _know. But I'm willing to overlook that, I want you, all of you whenever I can."

She was frowning at him and this was not the reaction he was going for, she could tell. But she couldn't help it, it wasn't exactly the smoothest he'd been, and it wasn't exactly a romantic seduction either. She felt cheap all of a sudden. "You can't have me. I'm not a commodity to be bought and paid for. I thought you finally understood that after the last fiasco."

"I know that, you don't think _I _know that? God damn it Serena!" He snapped at her and she flinched back. "Can't you see what I'm trying to say to you? I can't believe you're going to make me come out and say it!"

Serena rose to her feet and Darien joined her. "Whatever you're going to say can die an early death. I want you to take me home. God, thinking you could get me to a hotel room and repeat what happened months ago! Starting tomorrow I will not be working in the office anymore. Mina said it best when she said I could work anywhere. I've just been too lazy and if you're too horny to want me in the office, well I'll take away the problem. Wouldn't want you to jump me the moment I walked in or cause you undue sufferance."

"You are the most idiotic person I know sometimes. Leaving me isn't going to solve the problem and you know damn well that it won't. If it was just on my side I'd be content to let these matters lie, but I know you feel it too. You're the one whose caused all this mess to begin with. You did it in the hotel, you did it in my office on the ranch. Hell there's been many moments in between that have been your goddamn fault too, but I'm going to forgive you for those, because I wanted it too."

"I'm weak when it comes to you, I know that, you know that, so why stroke the fire? Why bring me out here, for what did you have in mind? An unbridled weekend and then return to work like nothing happened? I'm telling you buster, never in a million years that's going to happen!"

They were on opposite sides of the table. Serena stood wearily back from him, not wanting to get too close. He was furious with her again. Probably rightly so, but she wrapped her arms around her to ward off his blistering anger. To protect her from his scorn and outlandish thoughts. "You're a stubborn fool, and I can't believe I love that about you too!"

Serena opened her mouth to retort but found the words lacking as she didn't know what to do in response to that statement. She swallowed and he wasn't helping by glowering at her, waiting for a reaction. "You... what?" Smooth, real smooth.

"I love you. That's what I have been trying to say since the beginning of this stupid fight. Hell I've been trying to tell you that for the last month it seems but we always get interrupted or its not the right time."

But when he reached across the distance and ran gentle fingers along the edge of her hairline and then plunging them into the silky depths, she was taken unawares by his opposing actions. He drew her closer, and she followed blindly to his siren song. She barely noticed when her legs hit the edge of the table and then putting first one knee and then the other on top. "So now is the right time?" She asked feeling breathless and all the fight went out of her.

"I had to manufacture this outing, drawing on the memory of you wanting to go and me not following through right away, but things came up between us. It didn't come out the way I wanted to, but its out now." His mouth was at her temple, she could feel the heat from it as it pressed kisses down the side of her face.

His lips caressed her and her hands went to his shoulders. His went to her shoulder blades and he dragged her along the smooth shiny surface towards him. If they were being watched it was graceful, almost production like. Her legs came forward and she found herself sitting on his side of the table with a knee on either side of his hips. It didn't last long for he was soon pulling her closer still and she had only one option and that was to wrap her legs around his waist.

She arched towards him, her fingers dragging the material of his shirt upwards unconsciously. She could feel his hands slipping lower down her back before his thumbs brushed the silky smooth expanse of her lower back where her shirt gaped.

Their kiss was fierce yet tender and it took every ounce of willpower she possessed not to cry at its potency. Never in her life had she been so connected with someone. That even when she was having a bloody row with them she wanted to laugh and strip them bare and have her wicked way. Never did she want to cry at how sweet someone could be after hurtling barbs that shredded her heart to say, to hear, to be responded to in kind.

They both seemed to realize at the same time, that she hadn't said anything in response and he slowly pried himself backwards, but she tightened her legs, refusing to allow him to leave her anymore. If she didn't say something now and lay all bare, he'd back out of her life and do as she'd hurled at him earlier that she'd do. He'd leave her and would never see her again, thinking she didn't return his feelings and once all was laid out, he couldn't offer her anything further. She couldn't handle any more distance between them after that revelation, it would tear her heart to shreds. To know what he felt about her and then to be left, and have a void in her life that no man could hope to fill. She feared she'd say the wrong thing, that what she tried to say would come off badly, and she'd lose him anyways. It was best to keep it simple if she could. "I love you too. I have been fighting it since the beginning. I knew it was forming the moment I set eyes on you, I had no control anymore after that." Her lower lip quivered and his thumb smoothed across it.

He was looking at her with those dark eyes, they were vulnerable and couldn't believe what she was saying was true, that she could possibly return his feelings. That his words hadn't just been a bluff that she'd call him on, thankful that she wasn't so callous as to stomp on his feelings at the same time as telling him hers weren't so pure. "I love you." She repeated and his head swooped down and kissed her so well that it sent her head spinning and she was seeing stars from just a kiss.

"Thank god, thank god, thank god." His words weren't heard at first as he started pressing his lips at all sorts of exposed locations, anywhere he could find without trying and she finally heard it as his mouth pressed against the shell of her ear and then lower, beneath it where she was both sensitive and vulnerable.

Her voice was husky as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled back to look at him. "How about we make use of that shower now?" She got her comment fulfilled as he swooped her up into his arms and carried her into the bathroom, kicking the door shut behind him and groaning in pleasure as he kissed her again.

–

That evening they went out to eat and she had a feeling looking at the dress he had packed that the place wasn't going to be cheap. She was proven correct when they walked into what constituted a nice restaurant in these parts. And truth be told, it was pretty simple, but it was pretty effective and it was really rather nice. There were white table clothes over the square tables and twisted the other way were smaller red square clothes with tassels on the ends. In the center of each table was a single white candle.

The lights were turned down low, but it was still bright enough that they could see their way to their table but maintain a sense of privacy in a public setting. They were seated by a woman in black pants and a white shirt, everything expertly crisp and tucked. A bottle of wine was already chilling beside it. "Compliments of the house." The woman was saying to them as she filled the glasses she'd just produced. Water followed and Serena had to admit this place was rather fancy despite Eastern prejudices and she couldn't help but admit that some still lingered in the back of her mind whenever she thought about the 'West'.

"This is too much." She said once they were alone, she shifted uncomfortably, she felt a little under-dressed, even though she would have thought it was a bit fancy for other times. It was simple enough with a scoop neckline and sleeves, a wide belt and then three almost tulip style, wide layers going down her hips and thighs. A pair of dark mauve tights were underneath with a matching brown pair of booties.

"This is just right." Darien covered her hand. "We're together, nothing could make the moment better." Everything else was just white noise.

She flipped her hand over and entwined her fingers with his. "That was very well said."

They ordered and food came quickly, or at least it seemed that way as she and Darien just talked. There was so much more they had to say to one another that they hadn't said before and couldn't say while they were so at odds with one another. She had been in love with Darien this entire time, and she knew it, but she refused to accept it until he broke through the barriers they were both creating.

"A bottle of red, sir?" The waitress asked when she finished filling Darien's glass up and noticed it was mostly empty.

"That would be lovely, thank you." Serena drew a finger along the edge of Darien's hand, along his pointer from thumb juncture to tip and he jerked a little as the waitress left. "Careful." He warned. "We want to get through the meal, don't we?"

She smiled back at him but his words were true and she cleared her throat, trying to center herself, but she was too happy and her thoughts and feelings kept floating off together so she only acted. "I suppose I can wait." She pouted but he knew her too well by now, and knew she was mostly teasing him.

"Speaking of waiting." He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a box. "I was intending to give this to you at some point during the evening, but now seems just as appropriate."

"Why have you bought me something?" Serena took it, but she didn't open it, this was odd and she didn't deserve anything.

"Honestly, because I wanted to."

"I can't accept anything expensive. I wouldn't feel right about it and secondly, wouldn't you think someone would notice?"

"It's not that expensive, its just something simple. Go on, open it and afterwards we can discuss your doubts and feelings about it."

She did as he asked and flipped the lid up. "Oh my." It was simple, but it was gorgeous. "It's beautiful." Her finger traced the delicate detailing, it spiraled in on itself so it looked like there was no ending and no beginning. It was in gold and silver with tiny etchings of blue. The pendant was no larger than her thumb's nail-bed.

"I saw it and I thought of you instantly. I was looking for my sisters' Christmas gifts and when I saw this I couldn't pass up the opportunity to buy it."

"Isn't the tradition to buy a Christmas gift, not a New Years one?" She lifted her eyes to him. "You've already bought me Christmas gifts, we're currently unwrapping one."

"I know, but I wanted you to have this. Besides, this trip is Raye's apology to you, not a gift from me."

"Did you plan it? Giving me the gift when we were up here and away from everyone else? Obviously you couldn't have given this to me with anyone else watching." She felt the fire stroking under her skin. "Is this some sort of payoff? That you knew I would fall into your bed and this is my compensation?"

"There is absolutely no way I would have known that would have happened earlier tonight." Darien defended himself, but unlike any time in their history together, besides that first night, he remained perfectly calm and she was the one that was angry.

"Then you planned to give it to me in an attempt to buy my affections?" She wasn't used to him so relaxed, and she was starting to get agitated.

"Serena, love, that's not what happened at all. I'm telling you the truth, I saw it and I wanted you to have it, end of story. This trip wasn't planned, but I felt the need to get you out after that scene with Raye, I couldn't risk losing you because of what happened between the two of you. I figured this way you'd both cool your heels without stumbling upon each other all the time."

It was like he punctured her with a needle and she whizzed out to normal Serena size and temperament. "Oh." She might have been a little too deflated. "Well that's all right then, thank you for being so considerate."

His laughter sounded a little self-mockery. "There's no way I could have planned any of this. Maybe the events, like trekking and tomorrow, but you and your reactions always catch me in the solar plexus. It always takes me a long time to catch up to where you are, I'm just always dazed by you."

"You are such a flatterer." Serena blushed and tried to look away.

"Please don't do that, I want to see your eyes. For too long I have told you to keep them away from me, afraid of what I'd do if I read in them what I was feeling myself."

"It was there from day one. You wouldn't have had to look very hard. I had trouble keeping my hands to myself too." Neither one of them wanted to talk about the elephant in the room and so they avoided it altogether. Even the part where his anger hadn't damped her feelings one bit, though it had brought up other ones.

"I had been planning on getting you to a nice public location such as this and telling you about how I loved you. I didn't think you would believe me so easily. But I wanted to make sure we'd talk, really talk about things." There was a wry smile on his lips and she groped for his hand and squeezed, perhaps a bit too hard.

"If anyone needed to prove their feelings, I think that would rest on my shoulders."

He reached out and stroked her bottom lip. "I was the one that had to overcome a lot of jealousy and righteous anger to realize you weren't what I had built you up to be. But everything you did and said kept proving to me over and over again that you were the girl I met driving down and there was just an unfortunate lie that prodded us along and that was the cause for it all. Then there were all those times I almost lost you without being able to tell you how I feel, many of those times _because_ of me."

"Only one time was because of you." Serena countered instantly. "The others..." She shrugged. "They were because of other people or myself."

"Still, you put yourself at grave risk far too often and the first few times I was so angry with you to see how good you were, or angry because of what you'd done. But fear drove me on and I'm not terribly proud of the way I reacted a few of those times."

Serena took his hand and placed it over her heart. "I could feel you in here, I knew that you cared and it helped." Her fingers wrapped around the back of his hand. "If it helps, I feared myself, not for my own safety but because I regretted things were so dire between us. That I hadn't been able to tell you honestly how I felt about you too."

He had to pull away from her because their food arrived along with the second bottle of wine. He waited until the server and waitress left before looking back at Serena and lifted his glass. "To finally coming clean."

Serena lifted her glass and knocked it gently against his, feeling a stone turn over in her gut, but she managed to smile. "To coming clean." She took a sip from her glass and could feel it hitting the bottom of her stomach and tried to calm it by taking measured breaths. Things were going well now, she wouldn't look under stones for things that would harm if startled.

Darien pulled her into an amusing story about one of his students when he was charged with covering for one of the part timers again. He wasn't upset, they had hired a high school student from town and the boy was in all sorts of advanced classes, even attending the closest community college and his schedule was pretty hectic for a student. By the end of the night, it was like nothing had happened to put a scratch in their record and it was like picking up from their kiss at Darien's ranch.

It was only as she thought happily about that on the walk back did she come to a screeching halt. "Fred!"

Darien turned to her amused and wrapped his arms around her waist. "No, Darien." He pointed to himself. "Say it with me, Dar-i-en."

"I know your name silly."

"Just wanted to make sure you knew who you were with."

If she wasn't so preoccupied with her current path of thoughts she'd have socked him in the stomach for that lippiness. "No, Fred, I was just thinking, what if he saw us that day I drove down to Pony from Billings? Could that be the reason he gave Raye that magazine? I know he didn't like me from introductions on."

Darien gave her a twisted look. "It's possible. Fred doesn't like dishonesty and he certainly hasn't liked any of my lady friends."

"You've brought lady friends to the ranch? Raye said you hadn't."

"No, not to the ranch. Fred's come out to D.C. on occasion when I haven't been able to get back to the ranch to work on paperwork. He's always found something wrong with the women I've been seeing and since I wasn't ever really committed to them before, the relationships never lasted long." Darien shrugged. "To tell you the truth, I think he might be gay."

Serena lifted an eyebrow at that, she'd had a feeling about that too. "Any thoughts to who he has a crush on?"

Darien laughed and shook his head, pulling Serena along with him, trying to get out of the cold. "I've been friends with him since we could walk, there's nothing like that there."

"Then who does he have a chance with in this town?" It wasn't like they were in Miami.

"He never had a chance with me, if that's what you're implying missy. I like women far too much, and one in particular, to even give off hints like that."

"Perhaps you don't even realize you're doing it." She drew a finger on his chest. "I for one thought maybe you leaned that way."

"Oh yeah?" His eyes sparked dangerous signals and she nodded before bolting down the street, Darien followed quickly on her heel and managed to catch her before they reached the outer gate for the bed and breakfast. He spun her around and gathered her in close for a kiss that stole her breath away. "How about now? Still think I'm batting for the other team?"

"No way, you're all mine." She pulled his head back down for another one and he complied, letting her lead this kiss but all too soon it became too much and he lifted her off her feet and swung her over his shoulder.

"Just for that, this is your punishment." He gave her behind a little whack and chuckled as she squealed. They tried to keep down their merriment as they entered the hallway, conscious of other guests and he let her back down to her feet only when they were inside with the door firmly closed.

Serena held up a hand between their mouths before he could kiss her again and instead he intentionally kissed her palm. "I'm serious though, what are we going to do about Fred?"

"He won't cause anymore mischief. He already tried his luck with the proof he could get a hold of, he'd never hurt me and doing anything more against you would hurt me. But if it really worries you, I'll have a talk with him when we get back, make sure he knows that I won't accept any foul play when it comes to you."

"Thank you for that. I know the two of you are friends, I wouldn't want to step on any toes."

"Don't worry about it, Serena. I have it covered. Nothing will be harmed." He tilted her head up. "Now are we going to talk about other people or are we going to focus on us?"

"Us, definitely us." Serena pulled him closer and they waddled backwards to the bed. Serena tipped backwards onto it and Darien followed her down, but smoother and she slid backwards up the bed, so they could be more comfortable. He took off her belt and shoes. She reached for the hem of her dress but his hands beat her to it, running it up her thighs, over her head and then onto the floor. His mouth followed the same path his right hand did, veering off course at her chest, causing her to moan out in pleasure and arch into him.

Her hands sought for his shirt and ripped it out of his pants and didn't pay any attention to the fact she might have ripped off a button or two in her haste. She pushed it off his shoulders and he was tangled up in it for all of a second before his hands were on her waist again, pulling her down and towards him. In that second it was all it took for her eyes to latch onto the ring on her finger as she splayed her hands against his chest.

"I- I can't do it." She whispered and he froze above her, looking down at her in surprise. She bet he was, considering she had done it with him, more than once and so she sought to clarify. "I can't do it with this ring upon my finger. It just reminds me-"

"Here, I've got the perfect solution." He reached for her hand and caught it before she could pull away. He tried to pull the ring off but it got stuck on her knuckle. Instead of being delayed at all by it, he found another simple solution and stuck her finger in his mouth, slipping it off easily.

"Wait- Darien-" She was afraid that he would look at it, but he just set it down on the table next to them.

"See, problem solved." He didn't seem caught up at all by the reminder, and she swallowed hard as he turned his attention back to her. There was one snide comment he couldn't help though. "You can put it back on in the morning, if it bothers you that much."

Serena pushed against his chest and sat up. "I know this is a mood killer, but... what happened to you? You're the poster-boy of morality."

"When it comes to you, I've given up. I've told you, I love you and I can't stand us being apart in any fashion anymore. This way is only a small part of it. Mentally, emotionally, physically near, these are the things that matter most to me. This, your marriage, it can all be dealt with later, but I have to be with you, you're all that matters to me now. My morals were shot anyways when it came to you, we've done the deed on three separate occasions now and almost a few more times. I think if it comes to affairs, we've already started it."

"Darien, this is not like you." Serena was feeling guilty for pulling Darien so far off his moral compass. "I don't want to be the cause of your hating yourself down the road and I definitely don't want you to hate me."

Darien groaned and rolled over. "You speak of not being myself, but that same charge can be put at your feet. You had no problems earlier today and you were still wearing your ring."

"I know, but that was different, I lost my head completely. I was so overjoyed. But now that I have thought about it, I wonder if its the right thing to do. Not for my sake, but for yours."

"You're not listening. It's already too late for my sake. I've already dove off the deep end. I just want to be with you. Will you be with me?"

Serena curled up to his naked chest and he was holding himself so rigidly, waiting for her answer. "I want to be with you too. Of course I will." She leaned over him and kissed a path up his chest, he was wound so tightly. "I just needed to make sure that you were going into this with your eyes open."

"As long as yours are too. No more talk about losing your head, unless its when we're doing this." Darien grinned and kissed her back, pulling her on top of him and sliding his hands to her hips. "If you don't, then I'll think I'm doing something wrong, because I can never see straight when you're half naked."

Serena's laughter was pure and beautiful, but it didn't last long, oh no, other sounds soon replaced it.

–

Dawn wasn't even started when Darien roused her from bed. Literally _from_ bed. He threw at her long-john pants and a long sleeved shirt. She barely managed to remember pulling on her ring before she struggled sleepily into them. This was not her idea of fun. Her idea of fun on a day off was sleeping until noon, whereas here, that meant sleeping until the sun reset. Then he was handing her more clothes that she barely noted she was putting on and he gathered up the other belongings in the room and shoving it all into the same bag.

He kissed her good-morning. "You'll get it back when we return to the lodge." He promised and ushered her out the door. He had a coffee cup in his hand when he returned to the warming vehicle, which he'd deposited her into and handed it to her. "Unless you'd rather sleep for the next hour, but I recommend the sunrise. It's beautiful."

"Sunrise, ick." Serena grumbled and turned her back onto him, trying to sleep some more, her coffee cooling in the cup-holder. He chuckled and ran his fingers down her back.

"Right, sleep well then."

"Thanks." She managed to sound reasonably nice in her bedrangled state. She hated being up so early and she especially hated it when someone woke her up. Or maybe that was the other way around. In any case, he didn't get an exception because he woke her up earlier than most people.

When Serena woke again, it was because they slowed down and eventually stopped. The sun was higher in the sky and she peered out at it wondering how it was so different from the last few overcast, cloudy days in Pony. Here it was clear, blue and too bright, especially when it reflected off the snow. She was feeling a little hot in the car and she reached out to turn the temperature down.

"It won't matter in a few minutes." Darien told her as she sat up, he leaned over to give her a quick peck. She looked nervously out at the surroundings. "Anybody that sees won't know who you are. Don't worry about it. There's no chance it will get back." She thought she imagined the slight testiness to his voice, when the rest of him was so relaxed and at ease. Maybe it was just the way she was used to him reacting and so she still colored her senses to fit that former mold and was imagining it. "One of the perks of having a different last name."

Oh she definitely heard a barb that time and she turned to give him hell, but he was grinning stupidly at her and she knew that the barb had no malice. For some reason he just seemed to give it up and for the life of her she couldn't figure out why. Serena supposed that in time it would come out and she'd know. She just hoped that it didn't come out at the wrong time as it always inevitably did.

Then again, she'd been pretty lucky in timing of outbursts, Darien was remarkable at putting on a stolid face when underneath he was festering for a fight. Nobody had the slightest clue. Or rather a clue about Serena, Amy knew that her brother was attracted to Serena, but that was the extent of anything. Andrew definitely didn't suspect, he was too worried about Michelangelo, if he was still worried about that. Andrew and Michelangelo seemed to have gained a cool, but workable arrangement.

Darien got out of the vehicle, it was still running but up here she didn't think anything would happen. Serena grabbed her jacket and followed him across the plain of snow to shake hands with one of the men that were sitting around a fire. "Rab."

"Nice to see you again Darien, didn't think you'd get up here this year, it's been awhile." He lifted his bushy red eyebrows as he looked over at Serena. "I see you brought company this time."

"I have." Darien looped an arm around Serena's hips and brought her closer. "This is Serena, Serena, this is Rab, the head trainer in Montana."

"Just this part of it." Rab spoke with a burly Scottish accent and she instantly liked him.

"You're just too modest. I'm well aware that everybody in the region comes to you for advice on the most difficult of issues."

Rab laughed. "It's nice to meet you Serena. Unfortunately we don't have a tent for you, you didn't tell us you were coming and we already have guests staying with us. Some journalist who's interested in what we do up here. She brought along her photographer and has taken so many pictures that I'm not sure they could ever get through them all. Photographs of the most random things too, the tent, the group eating, amongst all the dog ones too."

"Oh." Serena was about to turn and ask Darien where they were going to stay then, when he was already answering her.

"That's all right, the usual spot for extras ok?"

Serena looked curiously between the two men. "Where's that?"

"In the dog pit." Rab explained to her. Then he pointed and she followed his figure, having to turn slightly to do so to the large circle with a fence that had a lot of the dogs in it, the fence wasn't very high and made out of wood, and on one side of it was a small hut that probably had kennels for the ones that were misbehaving and didn't get along with the rest.

Serena didn't actually mind that idea, she liked dogs and used to have one when she was younger that slept nose to nose with her every night. She only had a cat now because she knew she couldn't handle a dog on her own and especially not in her apartment. The only part she worried about was the cold once it got dark. She turned to tell him so, when they both started laughing. "What?"

"She's a keeper. Anybody who doesn't instantly object to getting their hands dirty is a definite plus."

"I know." Darien said pleased, pulling her closer still. "I plan to."

Rab turned to explain to Serena. "I thought for sure you'd have a fit. You're a little too..." His nose wrinkled as he tried to find a word that wasn't so insulting. "Posh." Then he racked his brain for an Americanism and failed. "East coast."

"And here I didn't even bring my flatiron." Serena shook her head, playing into this. Just because she was put together with sleek lines didn't make her too East. But then again, hadn't she just last night been working through her preconceived notions about what the West entailed?

Rab just roared louder, sparking the interest of the dogs and humans nearby. "Definitely." He slapped a hand onto Darien's shoulder. "Keep her, I want to see more of her around." Then he sauntered off and left them on their own.

"So where are we staying?" Serena looked up at Darien who was still grinning. She hadn't seen him so happy in months.

"I brought a tent along, I figured that would be the case. I always bring it."

Serena nodded, but she was already thinking ahead. "Isn't he going to show us the dogs?"

"He'll set up whatever we want to do, but he knows I know this stuff too well to be bothered. Perks of living here most of my life, people know me and I know how to do just about anything winter related. I should clarify that, anything mountain related."

"You just got more vague." Serena teased but she walked back with him to the truck and they drove it over to the spot that they were going to pitch the tent, it was best to get that up before they did anything else.

Darien threw into the tent the sleeping bags and other gear that she had no idea about and knew that he must or he wouldn't have packed it. In practically no time at all they were finished and he tugged her closer for a kiss. "You're a lot of help. Thank you."

Serena wasn't sure about that but she kissed him back and looped her arms around his neck, playing with the hair at the back of his skull just where it smoothed out to bare skin.

"Hey, you two need any help?" Rab's voice carried over to them and Darien looked over her head at him in exasperation.

"Sure, just when its over."

"Just keeping up with tradition." Rab came to a stop at Serena's elbow. "Did Darien ever tell you about the time we went camping and made me sleep in the woods without a tent? I swear I still have bug bites in places I didn't know they could reach."

"Quit your complaining." Darien punched him lightly in the shoulder. "You're exaggerating."

Serena couldn't help but giggle, but she tried to keep it as quiet as she could. Rab rolled his eyes at her. "You haven't heard the worst of it, Darien's fine because he slept in the tent, he locked me out."

"After that first night, I learned my lesson. You kick in your sleep and I had bruises all up and down my leg."

"Now whose complaining?" Rab asked with a raised red brow.

Serena slipped her hand into Darien's and decided to play mediator. "How about showing me some cute husky puppies!"

"Follow me." Rab led the way over to the dogs still in the carrel. "The pups are in the house back there, we let them out when the rest of them are doing their training. They're usually well behaved but we try to keep the smaller ones away from the bigger ones, just in case."

Darien lifted her up and over the fence when she probably could have climbed it, but it kept Rab from having to go round and open the gate. Darien followed after and they went to go see the huskies. "They're so cute." Serena rubbed the ears of the first puppy she saw and more came up to her, wanting her attention. Then a frown came over her forehead as she realized what she was looking at, she hadn't come to see just puppies, but she liked them all non-the-less. "Some of these are labs and dobermans."

"Aye, that's right, but they're mixed with huskies. These are some of the best trained pups, genetically bred to be fast, strong, warm and can go great distances in snow."

Serena rubbed more heads and tickled under their chins and ran her hand down their backs, with an introverted thoughtfulness. Darien hunched down next to her and ran his fingers over another puppy's head. "What are you thinking about so intensely?"

The lines cleared and she looked into his eyes. "Well, I get it, that's how races are won, but I also have to keep fighting the image I have in my head of dog-sled races being pure husky. They're adorable, I'm just struggling to keep in my mind that the one that looks like a lab is actually a husky-cross-breed."

Darien nodded, he could understand that and moved his hand away just in time for one of the puppies to nip at him because he wasn't paying sole attention to it. He wagged his finger in front of its face. "No." The puppy took another try at it and he tapped it lightly on the puppy's head. "No."

The puppy squeaked and then laid down, trying to give him the sad look they were known so well for. Serena laughed and reached out to pet that puppy. The little tail wagged. "You're going to undo all our training." Rab warned and Serena pulled her hand back quickly with a sorry on her lips. "Just kidding. These are too young to do any real training and they know who their masters are and who they can get away with more stuff with."

Darien held out his hand to help Serena up. "Want to see the bigger dogs?"

Serena grinned. "Sure do!" She reached down and gave every puppy one last pet before beating Darien to the fence and climbing over it. He reached out to help, but she was already swinging her leg over and to the ground to join the other one. Darien hopped over the fence and ruffled Serena's hair.

Rab made some gagging sounds. "God its like the two of you are newly-weds or something."

"Feels like it too." Darien tossed at Rab, not feeling bad at all for his behavior and Serena had to agree with him, it did feel that way, it also felt like a reunion after such a long time apart.

"You-you're not, are you?" Rab asked on a semi-strangled voice. Serena had taken off the rings and put them in a safe pocket in her jacket inside a draw-string bag. She had also a light pair of gloves on, even when she was petting the puppies because it was too cold here without something protecting her skin, even if she was currently warm. It was too risky to expose it to the elements for too long. Well except her face it seemed.

Darien laughed it off but he sent her a quick glance to remain quiet on the matter. "Of course not, Rab. We haven't known each other _that_ long."

"Only a few months." Serena piped in, thinking it would help.

"Hell, no wonder, that's got to be the shortest relationship Darien's been in so far. He's a serial monogamist. The usual relationship tends to hang on for at least six months before he calls it quits. A few of the earlier ones managed a year, two if he really liked the girl. Then there was-"

"Rab, buddy..." Darien hooked an arm around the other man's shoulders. "Shut up."

"Oooh, I see, you _really _really like this one. Got it, shutting up." He winked at Serena. "Afraid of commitment?"

"Something like that." She found this man entertaining.

"He's promised you that he's not looking ahead, just taking things a day at a time so as not to scare you?"

"Maybe." Serena wanted to see where this was going, so she didn't correct him, besides what could she really say?

"Well he'll kill me for telling you this, but he's already mapped out your future for the next three years. If he doesn't get a ring on that finger in two, then the two of you are doomed and will wreck all of his plans." Rab elbowed Darien in the ribs, trying to get him off of him, the arm around his shoulders crept up towards his neck, readying to strangle him. "He's a planner this one, had his whole life organized when he was eighteen. Bet he's already got the kids' names picked out."

Serena couldn't help the squeak in her voice, she really couldn't. "_Kids_?"

"Of course, he'll probably want a whole herd of them, he never thought three was enough growing up, he wanted his parents to keep going until he could have a brother in addition to those gorgeously hot crazy sisters."

"Would you please, just, _shut up_!" Darien was no longer quite as entertained and Rab's mouth instantly snapped shut, knowing he had pushed too far this time. He looked frantically over to Serena, but she was having a hard time breathing. _Kids_! "I don't think that way, honest. Meeting you has thrown my whole life out of whack, there's no way I could plan anything. As for the kids bit, I'm slowly thinking three is too many, one would have been best, my sisters are a headache and a half and I wouldn't want to put that on any child of mine. Nor having them for an aunt, so probably no kids?"

She tried to wave his concern off, she could see that he was trying to find a ground that would make Serena happy once more. She didn't want to concern him but kids was pretty low on her agenda right now.

He came up to her and took her face in his hands. "No pressure, I'm not even there, we're too new to think anything of the sort."

But she knew, just from the way he'd tried to back out of what Rab was saying, she _knew_ that he was already forming this perfect world where the two of them were together for life. It was a beautiful picture, but she couldn't think of that, she could barely get through every day.

"Just... concentrate on the here and now. Puppies, very cute. Dogs, not so cute but pretty cool. Come on." He took her hand and practically dragged her to the dogs that were hooked up to a sled. As they walked she slowly managed to calm down and rationalize everything. He was right, one thing at a time. If he was planning, well that's what he did, wasn't it? If his plan was different than reality, he'd just have to adjust. Right now she was just going to enjoy their little break from the, currently, real world. This was a complete step out of it, where they could just be themselves again and she would go along with the ride.

She learned all of their names and gave each special attention where she praised them with kind words and strokes until they got to the end. "Want to go for a ride?" Rab asked and Serena perked up.

"Really? Can I drive it?"

"Yes you can, you'll be the only one on there. Here let me teach you the commands." Rab showed her the foot pedals and how to use them in connection to the verbal orders. "But they're pretty smart and can usually figure out the way without you. But in the end they'll listen to you and what you think is best."

"That's pretty amazing." Serena commented and took her spot at the helm. "What happens if it gets too fast?"

"Slow it down verbally and physically and if it tips over, get out of the way. Don't worry, I'll be on the grounds and so will other trainers, they'll help out if something goes wrong." Rab tried to reassure and Darien was already slipping away to get on the other sled hooked up so they could race. "I'll let the two of you do the long race, it's got some turns and slopes, should be fun." Rab double checked everything as he answered Serena's questions and then looked behind him towards Darien before turning to her again. "And what I said earlier-"

"It's ok." Serena smiled kindly. "I'm pretty tough and I know how to handle things."

"Just forget it, Darien's pretty serious about you, I can tell, I hadn't realized the relationship was so new, if I had, I might have held back a bit. I thought you were together long enough to talk about those things. Just don't hurt him."

"As if I ever could." Serena knew he meant emotionally because there was no way she could physically but they'd been through the worst and survived, she wouldn't do anything if she could control it to harm him more. Despite all appearances and minor freak outs, she was pretty serious about him too.

"Good. Just stomp that out and shout out to the dogs, and you'll be off." Rab squeezed her arm and then backed off. "Good luck, hope you beat him." He said it loud enough for Darien to hear and Serena followed his instructions.

She got the jump start on it and heard Darien muttered an oath behind her as he realized she now had a head start. And while he was skillful, she had the better team and she was a lot lighter than him in addition to her lead so she won, but barely just.

Serena pressed down on the break calling for the dogs to stop and they did and it took another, professional person to apply the stay break and then she was able to get off. She wanted to rub it in Darien's face that she won, but she was well aware that it could be considered cheating though she hadn't agreed to a race in the first part.

Darien lifted her off her feet in a circle and she could feel the happiness radiating off of him. "You did a great job. Did you like it?"

"Are you kidding me? That was amazing!" Serena looked down at him so seriously that for a beat he wondered what was wrong. "Can we do it again?"

He found her so amusing as he set her back down onto her feet. "We can do an entire trek in an hour, but first I wanted to introduce you to the rest of the staff and have them go through a day by day with you."

"I thought that's why we were here."

"You'll experience it, don't you worry, but I wanted you to know what was coming up so you could follow it mentally as we did so, people won't always be around to ask why."

Serena could accept that reasoning and she practically skipped over to meet those he wanted to introduce her to. It was a pretty varied group, there were men and women and they came from all sorts of different backgrounds, one of them had been a lawyer who was just tired of the dredge. Another because they had gone the traditional route and had decided to follow their love of animals without going back to school. Another to get away from everything back home, she was kind of hiding out from some of the people in her home town, and loved animals. Then there were others, most knew this was their intended target when they set out on the road towards Montana. Only a couple like Rab and one or two others had lived here for considerable time before hooking up with this team. A couple had even lived and worked in Alaska but preferred the ease and closeness to rational society in Montana.

Serena might have argued that point, but she found them all entertaining and laughed in all the appropriate places and made the appropriate sounds when they were trying to impress her. A few times they really did, maybe more than a few times. They had interesting work and it was easy to see all of them enjoyed it.

She was intrigued to learn that not all of their jobs had direct relationship to training the dogs or even working with them at all. There were accountants and correspondents, ones that took care of the sleds and made sure all the food was in order and other opportunities with them. All of them took turns cooking and most of the time it was the same kind of meal, but every once in awhile someone would whip up something interesting.

Since they were only here for a day, they were allowed a reprieve from the cycle, it was hard too cook for such a large number and quickly. Especially if you weren't used to it. Serena held Darien's hand for most of their time talking with the others, unless she was needed to help out with something. Or if Darien got called away for something. It wasn't very often but then during the day it started happening more as they really were immersed in the way of life these guys had for the whole winter long.

"We've got it." A voice said behind her and she jumped slightly to turn and look at who spoke.

"Got what?" She asked the woman grinning.

"The best shot of the day, you were adorable with the puppies in your lap earlier. City Girl Gets Lost. It's a perfect title for the piece."

"Piece on what exactly?" Serena asked slowly.

"The adventures of Huskies and those who melt at sight of them." The woman held out her hand. "Reporter Emsee Darkblood."

"Emsee Darkblood?" Serena questioned skeptically. "Are you partly Native American?"

"Nah, that's just my writing name. I host a blog at the paper in Billings. I got sent out here for a fluff piece but I wonder if I can't find some kind of gossip or dirt to make some kind of scandal and get more recognition than my local followers. You don't have some dark and dirty secret, do you?"

Serena laughed. "Me? No. I'm as boring as they come. Too bad, perhaps you'll find it elsewhere."

Emsee hummed in agreement, but her eyes were scanning the grounds. "You wouldn't happen to know anything on that tall drink of water you came with, would you?"

"Nope."

"Too bad, he looks like he's got stories to tell or be told about."

"Sorry I can't help you." Serena turned, she never liked reporters to begin with, they were always trying to put a spin on things. They hated when someone wouldn't talk to them and tried to make the slant against the person that had snuffed them. She learned quickly how true that was when it came to her own family. Since then she avoided them at all costs, having no comment was better than fueling their stories and giving them ideas. She was so thankful to her friends and everyone else that was there to support her with they wouldn't leave her lawn for almost a week. Thankful that she had some place else that she could stay.

It took her no time to cut quickly across the snow covered ground and she realized if you did it well, it really was no hassle at all. She stopped near Darien and he leaned over to kiss her cheek quickly before he hummed and nodded along with whatever Rab had been explaining. "Good, looks like it's time to make a run."

Serena's eyes perked up. "A run? Where?"

"There are two townships that are pretty high up here, but with the amount of snow they've gotten recently they haven't been able to drive out. We're going to go gather their mail and then go to the nearest post office that can be reached and collect the mail and deliver it again."

She nodded, that sounded pretty good. "Why don't we just split up and gather the mail from the townships and then meet up at the post office and then head out again?"

"Because he's trained and you're not. I wouldn't want anything to happen to you under my watch. Besides the townships are back to back and wouldn't make any sense to split into and the post office is actually the furthest away if you were thinking of any more amendments to the plan."

"Nope, sounds great to me." She was excited to get back behind the... rail... of the sled. It was her favorite part of the sledding experience, however nothing beat the dogs themselves. She gave them all a pet before she went to the back where Darien was.

"Where do you think you're going?" Rab asked as he finished tightening the straps to the sled, it had some provisions in it, _just in case _something happened and they were stranded for awhile.

"To drive it." Serena announced fairly confidently.

"No way, you're going to sit on the sled like all second passengers." Rab turned to show her but Serena stood her ground.

"I want to drive."

Rab was going to argue when Darien cut in over him. "We'll just do a two person on the handles. She can do all the work while I stand behind her, just in case." Darien grinned wrapping an arm around Serena's waist and bringing her in front of him. "Besides, I like being this close to her."

"All right, but you know what to do if she changes her mind." Rab turned his gaze to Serena and she liked that he didn't talk about her as if she wasn't there. "Let me show you anyway." Rab managed to coax Serena onto the sled, she didn't want to be stubborn or anything like that but she felt unsafe balanced on top of supplies. But the way Rab explained it and how she sat down in to it, she actually felt pretty secure. "I don't mind you driving but the dogs get going pretty fast, faster than what you experienced there, and if they don't hear you or don't listen, it takes a lot of strength to dig the breaks in and to get them to stop."

"You're just looking out for my safety." Serena got it and she let him know it too. "Thanks."

Rab nodded and saluted Darien in no salute that Serena had ever seen before, except maybe on a comedy and walked off. Serena returned to Darien and he let her settle on the skis before he came behind her, though this time he left some distance between them and she turned in the small space she still had and grabbed his coat and pulled him forward so they were pressing in on one another. "This is how close you should be."

Her face was so serious that he gave a small laugh as he bent his head forward to capture her lips. "Yes my commander." He kissed her nose then her forehead and then let her return to facing forward. "Are you ready to go?"

"Whenever you are."

"Then we're off." His hands were on the inside because he'd put his arms between hers and her body and after they started moving, she placed one of her hands on top of his and her fingers slid neatly between his. She couldn't keep the small smile from tugging at the corner of her lips. She had never felt happier in her life. Things were looking up and her feelings were like the day, bright, blue and cloud free and this was just the beginning.

–

It was interesting to learn, for Serena that is, that not every town in Montana less than a certain population looked like the ones near Pony. For instance, here, up north and in the mountains, it was even more of a throw back to days gone by. If she thought Pony had spotty electricity and was tiny then this was even worse. They couldn't even guarantee running water most days. Everyone lived in small houses with the bare essentials and had to go outside to use the toilet. They were made in an older style too with thick walls. Between the two outer layers was filling to help block the cold and keep the heat in. She imagined it was cool all year long up so high.

And it wasn't so much a town, more like a house and then several hundred feet another one and not in an "I'm a celebrity and I'm rich" sort of way, but because there was no where to build in between, the house-huts were built wherever they could be and in the shape befitting the location. "Who lives here?" Serena couldn't help but ask as they passed several of these homes until they stopped, where she was guessing was the center. Here there was a wall with several mail slots and a box of outgoing. Darien unlocked it and pulled out the center piece and replaced it with an empty one.

"People who have lived on these lands for a very long time." He finally answered her after making sure everything was secure and they were off again. The trip was fun and in a way that she hadn't realized it would be. It went up and down hills, at times she was afraid to look as they skirted treacherous rock cliffs while others they were on flat ground, _in the mountains_. It was really beautiful, they went through passes and the mountains just stretched straight up for miles. They moved quickly but still slower than if she was driving through and really got the time to appreciate the beauty of it.

The sun was shifting in the sky as they went and finally got to the next town. Here they had to go door to door, but there weren't too many houses, maybe twenty and the people were very nice. Darien put all their outgoing mail into an oversized envelope and when they finished, put that with the other box. The path to the post office was more of the same and also very narrow passes that even on sled it was difficult to get through.

When they finally got there, Serena was kind of surprised to civilization, there was even a Starbucks next door to it. "Which would you like to do?" He asked casually and Serena's attention was slow to turning to him. "Bring in the mail or attend to the dogs?"

He knew what she'd say before she said it and she didn't disappoint. "The dogs."

"All right, they all need to be fed and given water. This is their time to relax and we'll get lunch when I come back." Darien unbuckled the sled and paused while taking out the mail. "Make sure you feed them front to back, the front ones are alpha and won't appreciate you feeding the other way, they might try to cause a fight."

"Ok, front to back. Got it." Serena dug around for the food and bowls they'd put on the sled. She was tempted to use the water, but figured it was for emergency purposes only. Besides they taught Serena how to melt the snow fairly quickly. She went up to the front and put the food down for them and slowly made her way between them and back. She didn't touch any of them while they were eating, no telling what they'd think she was intending or how they'd react, especially as how she was a new person in their lives. Meanwhile she was using the method she'd learned and went back with bowls of water when it was finished. She had just gotten to the last dog when Darien came across the field from the post office with a huge grin on his face and a bundle under his arm and the metal container.

She smiled back, thinking that he had a good visit with the post master. She asked him about it after he gave her lips a quick hello and then went to work on putting everything away. "No, the smiles are all for you. I can't help it, I can't keep them off my face whenever I look at you or think of you."

He was surprised to see a frown faintly cross her features. "Sorry, it's just if you keep saying things like that, I won't be able to think straight. I'll just be a gooey puddle at your feet."

He chuckled as he wrapped his arms around her. "I'll always be there to catch you if you ever do turn into that puddle. I don't mind."

"I do. That's not who I am." Serena looked up through her eyelashes and he knew she was only half serious. He didn't know why he knew it but he had a feeling that she would have been, had she allowed herself to be. He was determined to uncover what had caused her to close that part of herself off, at least more than surface deep.

"With me you can be whatever you want. I'm not going to judge and there's no getting rid of me now."

"I feel like I am going to be mushy now." Her hands gripped his waist as if she might melt right there and then.

He bent and kissed her and she felt her knees give out and he caught her. She couldn't help but laugh at the whole production of this. She had never felt this way in her entire life and to find it here and now with this man... she couldn't control her actions as she once had. Life had taken the reigns from her. But she couldn't have picked someone better. She had always let her heart decide her path, when her mind chose for her it ruined everything in its path.

Her heart would continue to lead her and she'd try and let it have its freedom to do so. As much as she could. Sometimes not even her heart would get what it wanted. For once her heart and mind were in agreement, she wanted Darien Shields and right now she had him and she wouldn't let him slip away either.

If he was surprised by the passion she displayed as she returned that kiss, he didn't mention it, just adjusting to the assault and matching her stroke for stroke. The fire between them could have lit the dry trees hibernating for the winter but they were in a public place and they needed to cool down.

Luckily one of the dogs took care of that for them as it knocked into Darien, hitting him at the back of his knees and it took them both down. The cold snow was a very cold reminder that their passion for one another had to be taken somewhere indoors before it got out of hand.

They looked at one another and started laughing. Serena ran her fingers behind the dog's ears and he stood up, holding out a hand to help her up. Desire was still reflected in Serena's eyes as she looked at him, but it was mixed with humor and a huge grin crossed Darien's features.

"Perhaps he's telling us that it's time to move on and work our way back."

Darien's words were true enough but Serena's stomach rumbled in return. "You've forgotten to feed me and I can reassure you my stomach does not forget such an oversight easily."

"That's right, how could I forget about food!" Darien's gloved palm slid along her mittened hand and he wrapped his fingers around hers. "Come on, we'll eat at the local canteen."

"Sounds good."

Or it had, before Serena learned that they were going to eat outside. Even that though wasn't so bad, they had individual tables and space heaters and a fire burning not to far away. What she was prepared for was that there was no menu, they just brought out what they had in stock. "Yum, we came at a good time."

Serena couldn't think that Darien was serious. She looked down at the meal in front of her, it was a leg of some poor animal. It was too small to be a deer or elk or whatever they had up here in Montana. "Should I even ask what it is?" There was still skin but luckily no fur or feathers. She poked at it with her fork, not sure that it was even fully cooked. She'd never seen anything like this before.

"Nope, eat it first and then I might tell you." He pulled off his gloves and exposed his hands to the cold air. He picked it up and bit right into it. Serena made a face and he laughed. "What happened to your adventurous spirit?"

"It left and took my appetite as hostage."

"If this bothers you, then you're not cut out for my kind of camping. You'd never believe the kinds of things we ate then."

Serena sighed and put her fork down, at least they had forks. She didn't want to seem like a complainer, usually she was up for anything. But her stomach rolled and created a line when it came to seeing the animal her meat came from, especially so much of it and not much else on her plate. She slipped off her mittens and picked up the leg and copied Darien's example and bit into the flesh. It was moist and fell off the bone into her mouth. She moaned in pleasure and took another bite. "I'm sorry, you were right." Her appetite came back and she was finished with it before she knew. Her plate was taken away and she was served a bowl of rice with different looking flecks in it. She picked up her fork and dug in with gusto. This was great too, it was filled with seasonings that she didn't usually use but were local here.

Darien reached out and stilled her hand before she could finish. "Slow down, you'll need the energy and they only have once more course."

She realized he was teasing her and she laughed somewhat embarrassed by her ravenous hunger. She could eat and put away a lot of food and not appear any different, she gave props to her dancing for that. "This isn't the first time you've seen how much I can eat. Why do you think I complained so much when Lita cut me off?"

"I thought it was because you couldn't eat. But that's just a perk, I love you and all of your quirks. Don't change." His thumb kept brushing against her pulse and it was distracting. He loved seeing her eyes soft like that, and he never saw anyone else able to create that look, not even Andrew. He smirked internally at that, he had something Andrew could never have and it had nothing to do with money and everything to do with what really mattered, Serena.

Serena swallowed hard, he was just pouring out the compliments and she hadn't said much in return, it was harder for her to say things like that. They had to come out naturally and she wasn't the best with words. He was the one who could say what he wanted whenever he wanted and it sounded brilliant. She could only show it in other ways, how much he mattered to her, how much she loved everything about him. Except maybe his quick temper, but even that was endearing, knowing that she could create so much emotion in him. That it was all because of her. "Darien..." She was unsure where to begin.

"Go ahead. Say what you want to ask me. I never have qualms about asking you hard questions."

"It isn't so much a question." Serena took a deep breath. "I just want you to know how much I love you, that I might not be able to-"

"You don't have to. I like telling you things like that because it makes me happy to see you blush and gain confidence in this thing that has come up between us. I can read you fairly easily, and I know that you'd say things too if you could. You being here with me is enough. We're both finding our feet now. I wasn't the easiest to understand, flash tempers and being so angry with you. I have a lot of ground to make up for in splitting us apart. But..."

She had never seen Darien die off like that, as if unsure what he wanted to say. But she had a feeling she knew where he was going, where her thoughts had been since she learned that he was her bosses' brother. "I have a lot to make up for as well. This whole thing is my fault and I might have made you feel guilty and it was never my intention. I have felt horrible about putting you in that position and then for you taking the blame onto yourself even though you know the truth. It should be all on my shoulders. I'm strong enough to take it."

"I'm glad you think so, because I would never be strong enough for all of this on my own. I don't envy your position."

"I should have told you everything from the start."

"Yes you should have." Darien didn't disagree with her and she was glad he hadn't argued or qualified it. This was the kind of thing she needed.

"I should never have tried to make it all work out, I should have known that there would have been no way that I would have gotten away with it. I accept the blame fully, as I have since the beginning. But there was something there, something that drew me to you the moment I saw you that wouldn't be ignored."

"It was there for the both of us." Darien understood that at least, and she knew that he still wasn't over the extent of her deception, that he still didn't agree fully with what they were doing but had come to terms with it. That he had somehow had managed to make it work out in his mind and she wondered how he managed that when he was so opposed to affairs.

But she wouldn't ask.

It was better not to pry into that and to leave this weekend the way it was, a temporary relief from the hectic of their life outside of it. That they could have a few days in bliss. She was given a chance to be with him like they would be if this entire mess hadn't happened, as if they were just starting out with clean histories. Well, almost clean.

"I'm just going to say this. I'm sorry. I really really am sorry. I never intended for you to be dragged into all of this. I'm not sorry about sharing part of myself with you though. It led to love. For that I shall never apologize but the rest of it, I do." Serena slid her finger around the chain at her neck, pulling the necklace out of its hiding place and slid the pendant back and forth along the metal links.

A native woman came with their last course, it was just a simple soup, but she was chuckling as she came. "Much too serious." She chided. "You are lovers and lovers are not serious."

"Why do you say that?" Serena asked.

"If it weren't so obvious, that necklace tells a lot more my dear. It's such a nice looking one too."

When the woman left Serena turned her eyes back onto Darien, questioning, and just in time to see him wince. "What did she mean by the necklace?"

"It's a lover's knot."

"Darien-" She warned, and inside she was freaking out, how was she going to explain that?

"You didn't know what it was, and if anyone does they'll just assume things with you being married that your husband got it for you. If anyone asks you can plain dumb and say you just liked it or something. It's not a big deal."

"But you bought it for me before we- I mean- _this _time, um..."

"Look, I bought it because I wanted it to speak for me if I couldn't find the nerve to say it. That wasn't necessary but I still wanted to give it to you."

"Thank you. I love it, truly. I wish I had something to give you in return."

"You will."

She didn't ask what he meant by that, she just finished her soup, but she had a feeling that it meant a lot more than what he was saying. It was a dark shadow on the edge of her clear sunny day.

Later, once they got through the second town again, she looked up to him with questioning eyes. "What exactly did we eat for lunch?"

"Rabbit." He answered simply. Serena felt sick at the idea, she had never ate rabbit before, for some reason the thought did not appeal. "But it was good, right?"

She had to admit that it was, but she'd make sure not to eat it again. They could have fed her anything and she wouldn't have known what it was. She could have been eating a family member if she hadn't known better. But she let the matter pass, she had other things to worry about and at the moment she didn't want to about any of them. She was happy enough concentrating on the warmth his body radiated off and how it reached her and wasn't just physically warm, but sneaked into her heart too. No, that wasn't true, she let it in. She let it permeate her entire being and she sagged against him, happy with the here and now and that brightly shinning future.

–

EAN: We're going to leave them temporarily for a short break between chapters. :) We'll meet up with them again in the next chapter. Hope you stick around for the next one!

EAN2: I'd just like to point out to anybody that asks. Three separate occasions. 1. On the drive down. 2. Thanksgiving. (Yes, this happened, it was intentionally buried but not very deep, just didn't come right out and say so... more poetic.) 2.5. Many, many times... er... rather sort of and almost on Christmas. 3. The shower scene. The times after any of these are included in that time, or are after the talk so then they're not included in that count.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

AN: Did any of you realize that the last chapter was almost 16,000 words? I sure hadn't until I looked today when I was deciding to update. Anyway Happy Holidays everyone! I meant to get the _next_ chapter out a few days ago, I'm a few behind. Oh well, I was months ahead of time on Thanksgiving, and probably a few weeks behind on New Years. This is life. Here's to hoping that 2013 is AMAZING and not exactly similar to 2012... what an odd year, mostly fabulous but odd in parts and sad in others. Hope everyone can find a bright side to this new year even in the saddest of times. :)

* * *

They made short work of getting back to the camp site but it still took longer than Serena would have imagined. It was dark before they got back and Darien managed to find their way back with only the moon and its light to guide them.

Thankfully the camp had a few fires burning and she only really relaxed when she saw them. It was also time for dinner, at least for the dogs. They slid the sled to a halt and untied the dogs in the correct order and brought them to the pen. There they gobbled up food like nobody's business and Serena got to help out there. One of the pups had been injured in a practice during the day with the hourlies and Serena went in to watch them set the puppy's leg. "She'll be all right in a few weeks. These things happen and its good for them to learn whats expected of them early on. Its also good for the sledders, they can learn what to do in the situation and how best to handle it." The vet on hand explained and Serena listened with an interested tilt to her head. She ran her hand over the puppy's head even though it had been heavily sedated. It gave a small woof of appreciation.

"I shouldn't have brought you up here." Darien commented when he walked in and saw the concern arresting her face. "Nobody can be immune to dogs and their plights."

"No, it's fine, the puppy will be fine and I'll see her again tomorrow before we go." She ran her fingers through its fur again and then forced herself away. She stood up and took his hand. "All the dogs are fed, now what?"

"Now _we _eat." Darien brought her to the main fire pit and they each got a bowl of some type of oatmeal substance, not very appetizing and it tasted as good as it looked but apparently it was the best for keeping up their strength and replenishing the calories they'd burned.

The evening was fun, people retold stories of their adventures or something the dogs did that was off the norm, then it slipped into stories about people they'd left at home and then ghost stories. The ghost stories started out fun and then over time they got down right scary. Serena was loving every minute of it, throwing her imagination into the stories and loving the chills that ran down her spine. Darien glued himself onto her arm and she didn't think any less of him, so he didn't like ghost stories, that just made her smile and chalk up another tally for personality traits that she adored in him. Eventually the stories ended and hot chocolate got pressed into her hands and people started splitting off to make last rounds. She thought about joining them but got dragged into a conversation instead.

Somewhere, at another fire perhaps, someone started strumming a guitar. She thought she even heard singing but she was still talking to these people so she couldn't go investigate.

When their conversation died off, they got up and attended to their needs and Serena realized she still had half a cup of chocolate and it was still pretty warm. She took another sip of it and stretched out by the fire. Soon the journalist joined her. "I swear you look familiar. Are you sure we haven't met before?"

"We have met before." She commented lightly as she stretched her toes forward and back, enjoying the green and blue fire that someone had created out of old fire hose. Not very healthy for the environment she was sure, but fun to see every once in awhile.

"We have?"

"Sure we have. I met you by the puppies only this afternoon." Serena gave the woman a serene smile and the woman sighed in frustration.

"That's true, but I'm sure I know your face."

"Don't see how, I'm no one important."

"Where do you work?"

"At a resort." Serena rolled her shoulders, just realizing right now how stiff she was and surprised by it.

"Which one?"

"A ski one."

Obviously not what the woman wanted to hear as she rolled her eyes at the information. "Any ski resort I might know the name of?"

"Probably not." Serena wanted publicity for the resort, but not this kind, she'd prefer word of mouth over journalists poking their nose in because of someone 'important' being there.

The woman let it all drop and instead tried to draw her into another conversation, this time about fashion and shopping locations. Serena didn't have the best knowledge of that in this area and admitted to as much. "You do give off a beach vibe."

"Why? What is it? The hair? I can change that, put it in a pony or something and it'll do."

"It's not the hair, its just a different kind of relaxed than here. This is because everybody's exhausted after working the land all day, yours is because you don't have physical work to do and can relax at the beach afterward and let it all float off to sea."

"I never thought of it that way." Serena admitted, it did explain a lot. She had work and she was tired and she had worry but every day she woke up and hit the beach and worked it all off. But that wasn't like working the land from sunup to sundown. This life out here was taxing but they all seemed in good moods and relaxing in the evenings. "But there's people in Montana who don't work the land, they're not farmers or ranchers or anything else."

"Just not knowing all the other positions is a sure-fire sign saying you're not from these parts."

"I could be from anywhere and not be from these parts."

The woman laughed. "True, true enough. I suppose you're right, I've never looked at it that way. At any rate, you don't have that Western/Rockies stress."

Serena warmed up slightly towards the woman but she still didn't like her and she wasn't sure why. Serena let the conversation die, she didn't want to talk to her anyway. For awhile the woman sat there with her and then just as Serena was about to leave, she ruined it.

"I'm going to figure out where I know your face. I would go easier on you if you just told me."

"Like I have already said, I'm not anyone special."

"I suppose you're right, I'm only fishing for some kind of lead. I get tired of writing these fluff pieces. Though I suppose it's good for me and Dimitiri. We have to get away to really get together. But I'm sure you understand that."

"I don't think I do."

"Well you and that man you're with, I'm sure you don't get to be with him as much as you want. You seem too fresh and happy, so it can't be long or consistent."

"I see him every day for several hours a day." Serena denied. "I never get tired of him."

"You will." The woman shrugged. "It's always the case. At any rate, I'll probably figure out where I've seen you from soon enough. Perhaps you're a witness and your face has been in the papers a lot recently?"

Serena laughed. "I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about. Have a goodnight Emsee."

"Good night."

She realized half way to the tent that she had the hot chocolate still in her hands and she veered off towards the person washing dishes, there were still some left so she didn't feel as bad adding to it. She gave the guy a grateful smile and headed towards the dogs. She didn't go in, she just stood off behind the fence and watched them. Most of the dogs were sleeping, it had been a long day for them and they worked hard. Serena did not envy them for their days. All the people up here were hard workers and not in the way an office person would claim, all very valid and all hard work but different. Not everybody was suited for the other's job. Serena was so happy that she did what she did, now more than ever, now that she'd seen how others lived. But she was also glad for this experience, to learn and be exposed to life outside of her own bubbles no matter how much she tried to expand them, she needed something else to catalyst this experience, someone else.

She was grateful for Andrew. Without him her world would be a lot smaller and she would not be nearly as happy. She owed Andrew so much and every day that debt grew in ways he'd never accept as his doing. And what was she doing? She was ruining it all.

Self doubt starting pulling at her sheltered sphere, tearing pieces off her resolve to just be here in the moment and take it all as it came. She finally had time to allow her mind to think about these things. She tried to shut it out, the mid-week-cation was not over yet and there'd be plenty of time to wonder what she was doing when she was back in Pony, back with Andrew.

Her thoughts took a distinctive turn away from that though nothing was resolved when she felt another body at her side. She looked up in surprise at Darien who reached out and slid her hair behind her ear. She smiled at him. "What are you thinking about so pensively?"

"Things that don't matter right now. All that matters is you." Serena slid her hands up his abdomen and then up his chest and around his neck. "What were you up to with Rab?"

He rested his hands on her hips. "We were making sure the perimeter was secure. The bears are hibernating by now. Wolves and coyotes are a threat really any time of day but more so at night when people are sleeping. "

Serena hesitated. "Do you think they'll be an issue?"

"There's a shift rotation but since I dragged you up here I wanted to be assured that you'd be all right. Didn't want your safety hanging on my conscious." She knew he was teasing her and she stuck her tongue out at him. He tightened his hands, fighting what he really wanted to do but knew it was far too public even at this time. "The food's all put away, so they shouldn't be a problem. What do you say about turning in? You're exhausted."

"Hey-" Serena tried to protest, she wasn't going to be the weakest link but he didn't look that tired even though he must have been.

"You've been yawning ever few minutes since dinner." He didn't make it sound like she was weak, just an observation. She slipped into his arms and moved her arms to his waist.

"I suppose you're right." Serena's hand played at his waist. "I think it's probably a good idea. Its not like I'm going to be missing anything, am I?"

"No, you're not. Everybody's bunking down for the night." They walked the somewhat far distance to the tent and she reached it first, opened it smoothly and took off her boots before getting in. Darien followed, knocked his off and put them on a piece of carpet. Serena copied his motions while he dealt with the rest of the setting up for the night.

It'd be nice to say that they had the fantasy night of romance in the tent, what people imagined and created in movies. The iconic image of a peaceful retreat where two persons of opposite sex shared an intimate location. All of which including mood lighting and pillows and blankets over head with a halo shining around her. That blurred surroundings with a gentle light and her looking angelic and sexy at the same time. That they had a magical night consummating their love for one another all over again.

But truthfully that didn't happen.

Instead the small, tent safe space heater Darien had plugged in only managed a small amount of warmth, enough to offset the bitter cold that began once the sun set. His hands were growing numb and difficult to control, even in that short space of time, as she zipped up the tent to help block the breeze, so he didn't know how she was managing. He opened both sleeping bags and set one onto the thick foam padding he set down first, to protect from sharp objects and the cold from seeping upwards. He zipped the other to it so their bags became one large one. There were extra blankets sitting at the foot of the full-sized make-shift bed.

"It'd probably have been better in the car." Serena commented, stuffing her hands underneath her armpits to keep them warmer and did a little jog in the spot, bouncing up and down trying to get feeling back into her extremities.

"It wouldn't. The _truck_ doesn't retain heat as much as you'd like to think it would. In absolute emergencies its better but the windows and metal let the heat in and out." He wrapped his arms around her and he'd never tell her that it was for himself as much as it was for her. She warmed him as much as he warmed her and he wanted to press her closer so more of his body could feel it too but managed to refrain. "It'd also waste more energy. Waste the gas too and we don't have enough for both keeping us warm through the night and drive us back down to a gas station."

"Would have to send the dogs for some more." She joked, she could barely lift her eyes up to his. His head ducked down and kissed her lightly on the lips. He reluctantly released her and finished working on their bed. Serena held her hands out near the space heater and thought that it was broken because it didn't give off as much heat as she'd have liked.

"The bed's ready." She turned to find him in it and began to lower a knee onto it, wanting to just wear her heavy sweater and jeans in there, too cold to think of taking them off. "Wait, you have to strip first."

It stopped her a moment in her tracks, not sure what he was talking about and then understanding crossed her features and her face scrunched up, clearly not amused. "Jerk. There's no way you're getting a strip tease."

"No-Not like that." His voice was strangled as he struggled around the lump that formed at the notion of her stripping for him. If she wasn't wrong, she thought she detected a bit of a squeaky quality to it.

"Then like what?" She demanded, unbuttoning her jeans anyway because he told her to.

"See what I'm wearing?"

She eyed him critically, he looked good in it, but his entire family looked good in black, not a color Serena pulled off often. It was stretchy black material almost like exercise pants or high end ski clothing. "I don't get it."

"It's under-armor, or long johns, they're very similar in a lot of ways. You have to strip down to the lowest layer, sometimes naked is even better still."

Serena rolled her eyes and stripped to the long johns. "I'm not sleeping naked."

Darien laughed. "Today isn't cold enough so I won't insist on it." She felt sick at the notion of _colder_ weather. This was already far colder than she liked and it was colder yet than down in Pony, or was that up? He patted the space beside him. "But there is a meaning to my advice. Join me and I'll explain."

In the attire he suggested she joined him, slipping under the top sleeping blanket and curled into him. "This better be good."

Darien reached over her and couldn't help his arm brushing up her side as he zipped them in, it suddenly felt a lot tighter as if the bags sucked up a lot of the wasted space. "These sleeping bags are a bit more advanced than the ones you probably use camping in warmer weather. It reflects back your body heat and the less you have in between it and yourself the better. Sweaters just hamper its capabilities and either make you overly warm so you sweat and freeze or not warm enough. Having the two of us in here together will help make it warmer quicker but also stay that way."

"Two bodies and all that." Serena heard that often enough, how if one was suffering through hypothermia and there wasn't much else to do it was better to be naked with that person to keep them warm, skin to skin contact. She just hadn't realized there was a bag that helped that process, even when alone.

Before he settled back into his spot, he brushed his lips against her temple.

At some point during the night Serena must have rotated and she slept with her head on his shoulder facing away from him. His arm was under her head and reaching straight outwards, her arm below her slid along his arm and her fingers interlaced with his. Her other hand rested lightly on her arm by her face and his other hand was just outside hers. There was not a way she could have been warmer or felt more secure. He was wrapped around her like a husk and it was comfortable. She woke to this position when the space heater started clicking off, its purpose had been served and just wanted to warn its owner that it was dying.

She had a few precious moments of just lying there and soaking it all in, knowing that at this very moment everything was calm and peaceful and perfect. She loved this man who even in sleep managed to make a shield around her, protecting her, keeping her warm, it didn't matter which was the correct one, he'd probably claim both if pressed.

It was with slow realization that this was the first time they'd ever slept in the same bed without having first going further. It was strange but it was also nice to know that this wasn't solely based on sex. The schematics might have been more difficult but they still probably could have managed to have sex last night. It might not have been as romantic, but it didn't always have to be. They'd gone before where they didn't even remove clothing, just pushing aside barriers. She wasn't even going to waste a second of her time in wondering if he'd grown tired or bored of her, now that they had these days. She didn't think that was how he worked. He'd already had her, he hadn't need to go to such lengths to get her for the first time or even again, as her own body had proven. It was an enemy to itself. Her mind was no better in allowing this to happen. But not a single part of her could find it anywhere within her to regret it. What was done was done and twice was no worse than once. Or however many times they'd done it.

Darien was slow to rouse and when he did, his eyes snapped open and he looked around for a brief second. She had never seen him wake, it was always the other way. He found her and he squeezed her closer for a moment before a slow smile crept up his features. She wasn't quite sure what to make of it. Was he afraid she'd left him over the night? Or was it something else?

He gave her a very proper good morning kiss and she felt herself sinking into the ground with it. When he pulled back slightly to look at her, he brushed the strands of loose hair out of her face. "Morning Sunshine."

"I don't know if that's an endearment or a diss."

"It's always been an endearment. I might not have always been happy with you, but it's always been that. I could never help it, I'd be furious with you and then you'd do something that would melt my heart and again I'd think just how similar you are to the sun."

"Then you may call me that whenever you'd like." She looped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer for another kiss. "Though I don't have something like that for you."

"It'll come." Darien reassured in not only words.

"Were you disappointed last night that we wasted a night, that we didn't-"

"No." He gave her yet another kiss and then started working on freeing them. Serena thought it far too early to start getting out of the bag, people couldn't be up that early, before the sun even rose.

But as she stretched and peaked her head out to look across the wide expanse of white, saw that people were up and about already. There was a fire burning and breakfast was almost finished for the humans. The dogs had already been fed. A blanket was wrapped around her shoulders from behind and she looked up at him with a huge smile. "I can't believe they're up so early."

"They go to bed pretty early too." Darien ran his fingers down her back and rested his hand on her lower spine. "While it doesn't seem like as much as a city, there's a lot to do. We've only seen a part of it."

"Darien, seriously, about last night-"

"Serena, just stop. I'm going to tell you something now and I want you to remember this. The thing that I've missed most about these last few months has just been being with you. If that means just sleeping in the same bed together, as long as you're in my arms, I'm happy."

Serena slid her arms around his waist and clung onto him. "I like just being near you."

"Then we're in an agreement." He gave her another kiss and then spun her back towards their bed. "Now get dressed, we are going to have breakfast and then we're going to pack up and get back onto the road."

"We're leaving so soon?"

"It's an all day trip from here. The roads were pretty good coming up, but we've got quite a bit of a drive going back. I think it snowed a bit last night." He pulled on his boots and the heavy jacket and kissed her goodbye. "I'll see you out there."

Serena struggled back into her jeans, she was sure they smelled but she'd rather only have to deep wash one pair instead of a whole bunch. She even fell over at one point when her foot got stuck and she managed to pull them up and on. She was sure _she_ smelled. She pulled her sweater back on and scrounged for the mirror, checking on her makeup. Darien hadn't said anything the whole weekend, and people had let their eyes linger, sure that something was off, but never said anything. She saw that part of it was smudged and went to work on it. Satisfied with the results she pulled on her coat and hat and the rest of the objects that would keep her warmer. Then she rolled up the sleeping bags, together, not bothering to unzip them and tied them up. Once that small task was finished she slipped on her boots and entered the now brightening day.

It was breath-taking and she stopped short once she realized what she was seeing. The sun was just rising above the horizon and it cast the sky into all sorts of colors she didn't usually see. Not even during sunsets. It was prettier still up here with only a lot of white snow and brown trees. She felt part of nature. At this moment she was small and insignificant, that she was just a tiny snowflake among millions beneath her feet.

Yapping and other happy noise from the dogs drew her out of her reflection and she knew this day would forever be engraved upon her. A new dawn was breaking and so was her understanding of the world. She trudged towards the fire burning, and knew it was the right one because she could see his dark head, unadorned by a cap amongst the rest of them and she took the offered bowl. She ate it without fuss, it was some type of oatmeal concept again and it was something she could get used to. It was pretty... decent. At least it was warm and she cupped her hands around it, letting it permeate through her gloves. That was very nice.

Darien sat across the fire and she could have joined him, but she wanted to talk to a few that she had become better acquainted with last night. She probably would never see them again but she found them interesting. The reporter and her photographer roused some time later, but not too much later, they were journalists after all and accustomed to odd hours for a story. Serena ignored them, even as the photographer took more photos and aimed it at her more than once.

After breakfast they returned to tear down the tent and packed up their belongings. The truck was filled and organized and they were ready to go. Serena made one final round of goodbyes to both the people and the dogs. Darien stood off to the side talking with Rab, he didn't really know too many others that were there, but he got away with it just a half wave and people continued thinking well of him.

Serena returned to Rab and Darien near the truck and gave the Scottish man a hug which was returned with bone-crushing strength. After he set her on her feet he gave her hair a ruffling and pushed her towards the truck. Darien shook his hand and they all said their goodbyes. Darien and Serena loaded into the car. It was a difficult goodbye and Serena couldn't help be quieter than normal. It was in a mixed mood that they left these people behind.

As they drove off, Darien reached his hand out between them, palm up and Serena placed hers in it, intertwining their fingers. They had to go back to the real world now and all that lay beyond these mountains.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

The drive took as long as Darien said it would. And despite Serena's best effort not to be that girl in romance novels, she still fell asleep while he drove. It had been an early morning and she wouldn't have known it at the time, but the day before was physically tiring in a way she wasn't used to. It passed several of the hours and she woke again when he pulled over for lunch.

"Mmm..." She grinned sleepily at him. "Morning."

"Thought you'd like some food."

"Thought right, I'd never say no to food." She reached out and played with the overly long hair behind his ear, he needed a cut. "You're a nice sight to wake up to."

"Who said you weren't good with words?" He teased and leaned over to kiss her. Following the kiss, both slid out of the car. They kept sharing simmering looks as they walked around it and met at the hood and they wrapped around each other's waist.

Serena ran her outside hand up to her shoulder on his side and was adorable as she looked at him with half closed eyes and a sort of closed lip smile that told him she was blissfully content. "I like being with you."

"If you keep stroking my ego like that, you'll never get home today." With a single finger under her chin he tilted her head back enough so he could kiss her. "I can't get enough of this."

"There's really no need to stop." Her stomach made a liar out of her though as soon as she said it. "All right, I suppose there's _one_ reason."

He was chuckling as he opened to door to let them both in. The hostess seated them right away and not too much longer they had ordered and were waiting for their food. Serena and Darien chatted about banal things the whole time and the food was decent. It was a chain restaurant so it wasn't anything out of the ordinary but not too much these days were.

Back in the truck, she laced her fingers with his as she drove. He fell asleep and she could hear gentle notes to a song she enjoyed. She was loathed to remove her hand from his, but she also wanted to turn the volume up without getting into a crash. She slipped her hand out and she knew he was deeply asleep because he didn't even notice and turned it up. She knew it was too loud when he shifted and put it back down a scotch.

She found herself singing along, but not to that song. When she finally noticed it was three songs later and she had sang for all of them. The radio was playing a fair number of tunes she knew and liked. She only felt amused by herself and continued humming along and singing when she felt like it. She didn't know how many songs cycled through before Darien woke up but by then her voice was a little bit raw. She cleared it and cast a quick sideways glance at him. But he was still looking pretty sleepy and rumpled.

She fought the smile, she didn't think he'd appreciate her melting at how boyishly charming he looked. Instead Serena just returned her hand to his and continued driving. Adorable wasn't exactly a word he'd like to hear.

"Hmm, this is a good song."

"You should sing it for me." Another sideways glance.

"No, that's not really my style, but-"

"Why not? I'm sure you're be terrific." She didn't realize she spoke over him but he was only amused by her antics.

"I think that's something better suited for you. You have a wonderful voice."

Serena's head turned so quickly towards him and she only blank stared at him for a moment. He was thankful that they were the only ones on the road and he reached out and held the wheel sturdy before she blinked and cleared away her surprise. "You heard me?"

"It was soothing, but it did wake me up. I laid there listening before you went to humming and I forced myself to wake up completely. You're wonderful, don't be embarrassed."

Serena's eyes swung back to the road and she took over control of the truck. He could tell she was embarrassed but she was trying to think passed that. "I'm really not that good. You should hear- um, forget it."

"No, who were you going to say?"

Serena cleared her throat but she was refusing to look at Darien now, she didn't want him upset and one noun always seemed to stir that up in him. But... he'd been so relaxed these last few days. So... un-Darien. Or perhaps the last few months had been un-Darien. This was the guy she had first met and she was the first Serena he'd met, not that she'd been_ too _different since arriving in Pony.

"Serena?" He prodded and she shrugged.

"Some singers I know down in Florida." Then she stumbled upon a memory that she cherished and grinned at him. "And Lizzy, oh she has a phenomenal voice. She just doesn't use it as much as she should."

"Lizzy?"

"One of my best friends. I haven't told you about her? She's been a wonderful influence in my life and even if you take that out of it, she is someone I'd never get over losing."

"She must be pretty special." Darien sat back against his seat and she could feel his eyes on her profile. She risked another glance at him, she really was lucky she hadn't caused an accident yet. "I haven't heard you talk about anyone like that."

"There are a few others. Molly for one..." She let it hang in the air who else she'd fall apart over but didn't say anything more. "She'd wow the pants right off you." She tossed him a grin. "That's why she's never going to meet you. At least not for a long time."

"Hmm... she sounds pretty interesting." Darien played with a strand of Serena's long hair, wrapping it around his finger. "Perhaps I'll see if I can't meet her before I grow old or too fond of you." He got a tongue stuck out at him yet again but it was just another cute perk. "Unfortunately I can't see that happening, you'll have me completely under your spell tomorrow and after that, who knows? I can't get more in love with you, can I?"

"I don't know..." Serena reached blindly for his hand and found it quickly. "Every day I fall more and more in love with you and ever day I find another thing, no matter how small, that I like about _you_."

"Flatterer." He squeezed her fingers. "Oh, take this road." Darien brought her attention to the street they were just about to miss and she was in the left lane. She shot her eyes to her rearview but nobody was coming and swerved off. She made it with plenty of room to spare but Darien had to grip the door or tip over into her. "Sorry, I should have warned you earlier."

"We made it, so it's not a problem."

The rest of the drive back was pleasant and their conversation ranged in topics from the weather to the latest gossip politically and in the entertainment industry. They only got news updates since they were so far out of the loop here, but it was still enough to talk about. There was not much for news in Montana but they got some of Colorado and Washington's broadcasts. Their surrounding states weren't that great on titillating information either. The drive was was entertaining and most of all it was fun.

It was with a heavy heart that Serena pulled through the gate at Darien's ranch. She pulled up to the front of his house and put the car into park. Darien didn't move for awhile and then he turned towards her, running his fingers down the side of her neck. "You could stay the night."

"I have to get back. Your sisters, Andrew... they're expecting me back tonight and will worry if I don't show up."

"You could stay here for awhile and then call them saying you'll be spending the night here instead of drive back since you're so tired."

"I _can't._" Serena really didn't want to leave.

"At least come in for awhile. You don't have to run off right away."

Serena was tempted, oh she was tempted and it was such a seductive thought. She didn't want to leave his side, much less go back to the lodge and spend the night there, away from him. She swallowed hard, trying to figure out which would have the worst consequences, staying here with Darien for longer than she should and possibly get caught, or to go home and regret it, missing him every minute she was away.

But she must have taken too long to decide because Darien was opening his door. "You're right. You should go back. I have to deal with Fred still and I don't want you to interact with him until I sort it out. I'll see you at work tomorrow." He gripped the door as if he was going to slam it but seemed to have thought better of it because suddenly he was leaning back in through the car and was kissing her with a fierce passion. Then before she could respond he was gone and the door was slammed shut afterall. She was in a daze for a moment wondering if that really happened all the while Darien had moved around to the back and was getting his stuff out. She was going to drive this truck back to the lodge, it belonged to it afterall. Andrew should have gotten _his _truck back by now from Hadley, something had happened to it again since she'd returned it the first time. Though Andrew swore it had nothing to do with Hadley, just something else went out on it. The truck was old .

Serena scrambled out of the car, thinking she'd made him mad again and came around to help him and apologize. She had been about to cave and agree to his suggestion of staying, before that kiss. Now it was on the tip of of her tongue to suggest the thing again. She reached for one of his bags and encountered his hand. He took it from her and put it on the ground so he could go after some of the other stuff. She didn't know why she didn't just leave the truck here and get back to town another way, she only had a bag.

"Darien-"

"It's all right Serena." He didn't sound irritated at all. "I have been selfish and taking up all of your time this week. You need time to sort things out at the lodge too. I shouldn't be expecting more of you than I can have. Things will look up tomorrow, you'll see. And I'd rather you drive back to the lodge now instead of when its dark out. I know its only a half hour drive but we're both tried and night driving would only make things worse." He cupped the side of her head with his palm and she leaned into it. "Just remember my love for you and it will lend you strength."

Serena didn't completely understand his meaning but she grabbed the front of his opened coat and pulled him to her for another kiss. He slid his hands under her butt and lifted her up and rested her against the closed back of the truck. Her knees came to his hips and he groaned against her mouth.

"You're making it incredibly hard to let you go." He whispered, his breath fanning her lips and she felt herself mouthing something back but nothing came out and she wasn't sure what she wanted to say, but it didn't matter as he was kissing her again.

Her body screamed for her not to let him go as he slowly lowered her to her feet and she knew how much he wanted her to stay with him, perhaps not out here, but at the very least inside the foyer. He stayed close though, refusing to let go himself. Serena found her hands were smoothing down the edges to his coat so they were flat against his chest and they kept doing so even though the coat looked immaculate. Then she found herself staring at his chest rather than his eyes and she spoke to it. "I love you too much."

"No such thing."

"There is when it makes it impossible for me to get my legs moving back towards the driver door. I've never been so clingy to a man my entire life."

He pushed back strands of her hair and she lifted her chin so she could look him in the face. "You're not clingy. You're just realizing what true love is. Not wanting to be apart is not a bad thing. It's completely natural when you like the person you love. It's comfortable to be with them and not wanting to be anywhere else."

She realized he was right, but it was a scary line between that and clingy and she would have to watch herself not to fall over that line. She wouldn't allow herself to be one of those girls who couldn't control herself around the person she loved, that had to flock to him every moment and give herself away. She didn't need to talk about him or to him every moment of every day, even if she thought of him that often.

"If you really need help, I'll carry you to your door and set you in your seat."

Serena smiled wryly up at him and found his humor soothing in this case. "Walk me there instead?" She'd accept that when she was with him, she would be with him completely but when they were with others, she'd control that aspect.

Darien's grin was white and was so attractive. "Of course. I wouldn't have it any other way." He even opened the door for her and waited with a hand on it while she buckled her seatbelt. Then he leaned in for one more kiss. "Have a safe drive back."

"Thanks. See you tomorrow." He shut the door and she put the truck in drive and drove the rest of the way around the personal round-about and headed back towards the gates. She kept him in her rearview most of the way and the entire time they could see each other, he stood there watching her go. She didn't want to think negatively or take this as an omen, this wouldn't be the end of it. They'd make it work out somehow now that they were back.

Her eyes went forward to double check that there wasn't a bend in the road and almost screamed when she realized someone was in her path. She slammed on her brakes and when she came to a halt, the man before her walked straight to her, only moving out of the direct line of accident when he got to the hood of her truck. She rolled down the window when he stopped there. "Fred." She greeted coolly.

"Miss Serena." He tipped his hat at her. "Here to see Mr. Darien?"

"Actually just dropping him off." She wasn't embarrassed and she wouldn't shirk from the truth here. He'd be finding out all about it in a few minutes. It was just unfortunate that she had to run into him before that happened.

"Ah. So you are who he was taking to see the huskies. I thought it would be your husband. He's a nice man, that Mr. Andrew. A very nice man. You must feel so lucky to have him. It'd be life-ruining if you lost him."

"Are you threatening me?" Serena was itching to call Darien just to let him know exactly what happened.

"No, just pointing out that you should be careful and think twice before you destroy something so wonderful in your life. Look twice at your marriage and realize what a great thing you have. I have great respect and admiration for my employer but he isn't worth ruining a marriage over. Nobody is."

Serena couldn't agree more with those sentiments but she didn't tell him that. "I'll think it over, thank you Fred for your concern." As she drove back towards the town and the lodge in particular, she couldn't help but think over his words and wonder exactly what she was doing, and if it was right.

–

EAN: scotch, not the drink or the wrong way to say a person from Scotland. Scotch- s-coo-tch. I'll have a wee bit.

EAN2: Since I know 2011 had Christmas and New Years on Sunday, and 2012 has those same holidays on Tuesday, this story takes play in the twilight of Leap Year, so Christmas is on a Sunday and New Year's Eve is on a Sunday too. It's neither 2011 or 2012 but a made-up year where between October and Thanksgiving is about 2 months and Christmas and New Year's Eve are on the same day but New Years day is one day later... I wasn't thinking too hard about physical dates when I started this. Oh well... :O


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

AN: Sorry guys, I've been sitting on this chapter for awhile. I was thinking it was the _next _chapter I was putting off. This one isn't the one I was intending to revamp, but at least its an update, ne? Chapter 25 should be out soonish now that I've gotten back to this story. There's reasons why I'm sitting on chapters but I don't think I should tell you because it might color your view on the story... Hehe... Oh and to a reviewer who was a guest and only moniker-ed at 'no', are you happier now? Please don't go on strike against me! I was going to update Flamingos but I can't find where I was in my notebook to type more up. At least that story just needs transcribing and _is _finished somewhere in the universe! :)

* * *

It was a whirlwind once Serena set foot back at the lodge. Everybody was in the dining room and after dropping off her stuff she went in search of Andrew. She found him laughing with, of all people, Michelangelo. The two of them were getting on so well that Serena had to double check herself to make sure she was still awake and didn't pass out on the couch or something. Was she in the same place she left?

Mina and Raye were bickering playfully together at the other end and Lita and Amy were talking in low tones. Zolton, Nashashuk and Jace were getting to know each other better over a three player game of chess. It made Serena's eyes cross just thinking about how that would work, she barely understood two player chess. It was Lita that saw her first and she jumped to her feet. "Serena! It's good to see you, come, come, join us!"

She dragged another chair over to them and put it right next to her. Serena felt honored that Lita wanted her so close. While the two of them got on well together, really well actually, she still didn't feel she knew the woman as well as she should have. This would be a good opportunity and so she took it. All over again Serena found reasons why she liked this male pin-up fantasy. She was more than just looks, she was so warm and inviting and motherly, but a bit more strict and structured. Some day she'd make a fantastic mother, with very healthy children. They'd be the most protected creatures on the planet though, nobody would live long if they degraded them in anyway.

Amy looked up at Serena with curious eyes. "Where is my brother?"

"Catching up on the ranch stuff. He's gotten very hands on, hasn't he?"

"Darien's... well he's got a few projects underway there that he didn't have in the past. I feel like he really might have a chance to settle down here again. He's become more invested in Pony recently."

Serena tried to bite her lip from saying anything, but she didn't succeed in stopping herself, not that she ever really could. "Do you think he'd be happy here, long term I mean? Do you think this is where he is, in his life right now?"

"I don't know what you mean." Amy was frowning lightly and Serena wasn't sure if it was because she didn't like hearing what Serena had to say or if it was because she was trying to understand. Serena went with the second one but chose her words carefully in case it was the first.

"Well he's got a home and a life outside of Montana, in the East Coast. Don't you think he's happy there too, and that he might want to go back?"

"He wasn't happy there, not like he has been since returning home to Pony. I haven't seen him this happy in a long time. Sure he enjoys his work and likes the East Coast, but I thought he'd always someday return here and now he has."

"Just to keep an eye on you and Raye and to help out because that instructor quit on you so last minute and knowing it would be impossible to replace him this season." Serena felt protective of Darien and his career choices, just like Michelangelo, she realized and understood his position on things now. Raye and Amy, Amy more so, clung onto people she cared about and didn't want them to leave her, didn't want them to leave Pony. Maybe it was a coping mechanism after her parents' death. She let Darien go because she couldn't keep him here, but now that he was back, she wanted him to stay. Zolton wasn't from here but if he hadn't fallen for Amy he would have moved onto another city eventually. Raye could leave her here alone as she traveled with Jace, but the pregnancy made it more difficult and Raye had responsibilities with the lodge. Everybody Amy loved were threatening to leave her at some point and so Serena decided to shut up. She'd leave soon too, but Amy didn't love her, and it was Serena's coping mechanism to leave, she wouldn't harm Amy's in return. They all dealt with the knocks life threw at them differently.

Amy didn't respond to that one and Serena feared she'd already gone too far and learned to quiet her thoughts too late. She didn't want to alienate either of Darien's sisters. The slender woman turned to answer one of Raye's questions and Serena realized with a start that she'd already made a major faux pas, she hadn't even greeted Andrew yet. She had been too caught up with seeing everyone else first. She could maybe get away with being overwhelmed by Lita's exuberant greeting but if she didn't cover for it in this moment of calm, she was sure she'd be found out. But how to gracefully get to her feet to see him without drawing attention or concern that she was offending?

She placed her hand on Lita's arm and smiled at the woman when she turned her attention to her. "I'll be right back." She got a wink in return as if Lita knew exactly what she was doing and Serena took that as her cue to stand up. She walked passed Michelangelo and ran her fingers along Andrew's shoulder, unsure exactly how to do this. If she really had a right to him and if he was Darien she knew exactly what she'd do, but wasn't sure Andrew would appreciate it, though their audience would understand and aw over it.

Andrew looked up and his eyes grew large and appreciative and he dragged her down onto his lap with his hands on her hips and gave her a very warm hello. Serena leaned back and laughed, pushing playfully at his shoulder. "Andrew, not in front of everyone!"

"We've all either seen it or done it ourselves at some point this week." Raye jibbed from the other end and Serena turned huge eyes onto the woman. "Not _that, _jeez!" But they were all laughing at that comment and then conversations split apart again with who was nearest them.

Andrew turned his complete attention onto Serena. While the others were responding, Andrew's eyes fastened onto her cheek, seeing it for the first time. He tilted her head slightly, but he didn't say anything about it. She knew he was going into protective mode but wanting to remain calm and cool with everyone else around. She really loved that about him, he knew exactly when to become protective and when to leave matters alone. Since she didn't tell him and he knew the stages of bruising, he probably inferred that the matter had been handled and it was only after the fact information he could gather. There was nothing on going that he had to worry about. "So, how was your trip?"

"It was a lot of fun! Though I missed you." Serena went into details about the adventures but managed to keep everything that happened between her and Darien completely PG and without hints of anything more than colleagues going on an outing together. She felt knowing eyes on her and knew it was Michelangelo so she ignored him as she chatted with Andrew. Then asking him about his week, he went into plenty of anecdotes about what she'd missed. Somehow though his nights were kept out of the stories he told.

Nothing important probably happened. And really it was two nights in the middle of the week, of course nothing important happened.

Serena settled with her back to Andrew's chest and turned her attention to the rest of the people at their table. Michelangelo was closest to her and she smiled warmly at him. "Michelangelo?"

"It's sure been something while you've been gone. Your presence was missed but it gave me an opportunity to learn more about your husband. He's a pretty interesting guy. I don't know how we missed it earlier."

"Ah, my fault probably, except for that first night I hadn't really had a lot of opportunity to sit down and talk with you." Andrew's arms were loosely wrapped around her and his hands rested on her knees. "I'd misjudged you too. I had to realize somethings first though."

"So you've got it all sorted out?" Serena looked between the two of them. "I don't have to police the meetings anymore?"

"Nope, Mina helped us." Michelangelo grinned. "She finally snapped one day when I was visiting her and she said that we either had to make up with whatever the other had done wrong or one of us had to quit and leave town. We sorted it out."

"What was the problem, exactly?"

"Nothing you need to be concerned about." Andrew laughed.

"Well what was the solution?"

"To be honest, we didn't really come to a clear spoken one, but we just kind of agreed to put it behind us and forget about all of it. To do so, we just need to stop talking about it and concentrate on other things."

Serena harrumphed and sagged back against Andrew. They didn't even know what they were fighting about, the girls! Now that they'd made up, they wouldn't tell her. It'd be a mystery she'd never understand and it would probably bug her for the rest of her life but they'd merrily skip onto other things and forget it ever happened.

"Maybe one day, when things reset." Michelangelo added, just for her ears and when she looked at him, she was pretty sure she understood the message even though nothing had been confirmed by any of them. It was all secrets and half hints.

"I'll hold you to that. One of these days we're going to lay everything bare and rake over anything that doesn't make sense." Serena vowed and he knew he wouldn't get out of it. "Andrew's invited to that party too."

"I'll happily be there." He dropped a kiss onto her head and slipped into conversation with Zolton as he easily beat the remaining two men at chess. He was able to do two things at once. Michelangelo was pulled into Mina and Raye's conversation and Serena slipped off Andrew's lap to join Lita and Amy again.

Thankfully no harm was done as Amy spoke easily with her, not in the least bothered by Serena's doomsday comment, probably because now that Raye was pregnant, he had a nephew to return home for and would probably do so more often. That made Amy happy, she liked seeing more of her brother and would take whatever she could get. He was blood related and they got along well, so she didn't fear him never returning, as long as something didn't take him away.

Lita groaned about an hour later and Serena looked up to her and cutting off what she was saying to Amy in mid-sentence. "What's the matter?"

"I have to go start working on the New Years Eve food. If I don't then it'll never get finished for Sunday/Monday night's celebration. Then I also have to get everything ready for New Year's Day bash. Two completely different parties for a heck ton of people and a hand short this year."

"A hand short? Who's that?"

"Raye, she can't help me in the kitchen. The fumes are not good for the baby and she can't do all the heavy lifting she's used to."

"Ten pounds is not that heavy." Raye protested.

"It's more like twenty and you know it." Lita chided as she wagged her finger since she didn't have a spatula right now. Raye pouted at being kicked out due to weight restrictions.

"I can help out." Serena volunteered and looked positively evil at Andrew when he cut in after that.

"No she can't." Andrew ignored her. "Not if you want everyone to survive the next day."

"What are you talking about?"

"She's a horrible, horrible cook. She burns water and if she tries to microwave anything less than thirty seconds or more than three minutes it's completely ruined. Trust me, you do not want her anywhere near your kitchen if it requires her to do anything more than eat the food you provide her. Even that is a bad idea because you'll have to cook more as she'd be eating everything you've made or is yet to be."

Serena would have felt ganged up upon if it was more than just Andrew and she would have felt hurt at his description of her if it wasn't accurate. She made a face and he lifted a brow in return, daring her to tell Lita it wasn't true. Serena's shoulders sagged and she turned and nodded to the brunette. "I am a horrible cook and I'd probably eat about ten percent of whatever you made or is in the process of being made."

Lita laughed and rubbed her shoulder. "Don't worry, there'll be plenty you can do on Sunday to help out and if you want to eat ten percent at that point, go right on ahead. I don't mind."

Serena looked up, all of a sudden with a genius plan and she grinned wickedly. "I might not be a good cook, but I know someone who is absolutely fantastic. You should have Andrew help you out. I'm sure he wouldn't mind, would you?"

She caught him mid-sip and he started choking at being put on the spot like that. But she was inwardly cackling. "Er... if you'd take over the ski patrol." Andrew knew she wouldn't and couldn't, but Serena didn't have to say anything, for Raye had that covered.

"Oh, Darien and Jace can share that. They're both fantastic skiers and are trained for those issues."

"What about the classes I have to teach?"

"Darien."

"What about the classes he has to teach? It is the weekend afterall."

"Serena can do it. Or you can go and cover those few hours and then come back and help out in the kitchen." Raye waved off his concern. "Or Michelangelo on Saturday if he's not busy."

"I'm teaching some dance classes during those hours. The boys were feeling neglected because Serena always talks about her girls."

Serena blushed in embarrassment, that was true, sometimes she forgot there were male students in there, they were all so young and didn't really make themselves seen physically or with their personality. But maybe that was because they were shy in a class with all girls. She'd have to work on that and make them feel more important. Boys could be phenomenal dancers too. But Michelangelo while an amazing dancer himself, wasn't really trained in it and wasn't completely qualified to teach dance on his own. She felt like she had to be there, but then again, he could teach what he knew and that was surprisingly a lot, considering he never became well known in that career path. Not like the hundred others he'd excelled at but dance was just another sport. Once you became a master on a few and knowing your body and how it can move, all of the rest became easy.

"The girls just happen to be stronger." Amy defended. "Two in particular."

"Oh, that reminds me, Serena didn't hear about this yesterday, but Hotaru and a few others have agreed to work with your instructor in New York for the summer. She's going to try and get them into Julliard if they improve enough. They'll have to wait otherwise for NYU if they don't."

Serena made an impressed face. "That's fantastic. I'll have to swing in tomorrow before or after work and congratulate them. They deserve it."

"You're going to work tomorrow?" Andrew was surprised and Serena nodded, looking curious why he asked. "Just that it's Friday, it seems pointless to me, but then again you went on Monday so it might be good to catch up on what you've missed. I won't be able to teach my class then if I'm going to be helping out with Lita."

"It's alright, I'll cover it." Serena didn't have a problem with that. "In fact I'll cover yours too Michelangelo if you just want to do your boys' class and then help out on the mountain. I don't think there's much to do right now, just keep everyone updated on Sunday and Monday's events and point out what's happening later in the month. Not much to it right now. Next week I can really start wowing them about February."

"Our slowest month is March, but its one of the snowiest so they'll get a lot of good powder. April picks up again for the finality of the season, but we could still do better. It's warm out and people are getting tired of winter but there's still a lot of snow and it still freezes at night. Personally my favorite time of year to ski." Raye added.

"I'll see if I can't get a concert or two going and attract interest that way. Maybe have it be free and all you have to do is put up a room for the artists. The artists can make profit off their merchandise. Maybe even a festival."

"Have you thought about any Spring time events to get them to come for the summer months when skiing isn't our major draw?"

"I have but I'm waiting on them, only until after the ski season starts to sag in interest. In the future you can keep up the information all year if it works, but I'm trying to play with the interest levels and keep everything mostly fresh but with a little bit of planning involved so people can know what's coming up and plan accordingly but not so detailed that they'd put off coming until the thing that interests them more. If they have to chose times to come, they'll stick to their favorite seasons. I want them to come here in the winter and love it and then decide to come back again for the next big event, so as not to hear about disappointment on how they should have come twice and how we should have made it more inviting for the previous event too."

Raye and Amy nodded along with the ideas and there were a few other approving looks around the table but most of them were engaged elsewhere. "That's great. But there was something else we were wondering about..."

"What's that?"

"Well the kids were so great for the winter dance you put up for all of us, we were wondering if you could make it bigger for March. Have other towns come, have your instructor give a review in the Montana Free Press about Christmas's and your qualifications."

"I- I don't know..."

"We'll have a photographer here too." They were making the idea less inviting by the minute. It was one thing to promote the students or herself, but she didn't want her name smattered across papers while she was here.

"I'll be right there with you." Andrew prodded thinking this would be great for her.

"We'll even put my name on headlines if that makes you feel better." Michelangelo saw what Andrew didn't, and he unlike Andrew didn't even know the real reason behind all of it. Or maybe he knew better than Andrew could.

"Can I have time to think about it? We barely wrapped up last week for the winter one and then I've been gone and this is a big step to make."

"You can have time." Amy soothed. "You have until February 1st to decide, and then we need to contact the papers. They should be out here by the 10th then and the news will spread by February 25tht. We're thinking of having it early March, probably the fifth so people will have time to learn about it and make plans, they don't have _too _far to go. Probably before and after stories."

Serena was concentrating on keeping her breathing even. This was very exciting news for the students and for the town itself, and would be great propaganda for the lodge. It was even good for her if it managed to get to wider circles, and excitement burned through her veins at the idea. But a nagging trepidation also sat like a stone in her belly. For some reason she _knew_ she shouldn't get her name out there like this, that she already had her name circulating down south, news of her newest location might work against her. She wanted this to be about the children, and not her.

"I'll let you know by then." It gave her a little over a month to decide and she had let herself out of the conversation this way. They were forced to move onto other subjects and they did.

"Michelangelo, do you think you and Mina could get the huskies moved here for a few days in February? We were thinking of doing a dog show and showcasing their different abilities and why certain dogs are trained certain ways."

"That's definitely an idea." Michelangelo commented lightly, but his eyes kept straying back to Serena. "It might work, but they're pretty busy up there and as Serena could probably tell you too, now, they have to keep the dogs training and bringing them here would mess with that."

"I know, but it doesn't hurt to ask does it?"

"No it doesn't and we'll check it out."

Then all talk of business was dropped temporarily and they all began to talk about other things entirely. Serena was told a story, what she'd missed while gone, about Raye and Jace and the antics they got up to even with Raye being pregnant. It wasn't until later that night when Jace went around to help Raye up that Serena realized how much a week could change a woman's body. Her eyes grew huge, how had she missed such a huge change.

"I bet you its twins." Mina sighed as she leaned back in her chair next to Serena, she'd moved after Raye left and took Amy's spot. "Skips a generation."

"I don't know... were either of their parents twins?"

"No." Lita answered since Mina wouldn't know for sure. "They were both only children."

The room was starting to clear out as people started heading up to bed, they had to get up early to fit in another full day of skiing. To do so they had to sleep many hours during the night. Serena relaxed back in her chair next to Mina, she didn't have that problem facing her. She could sleep until noon if she wanted to. Andrew had to be going soon though. In fact just as she thought that, Andrew was getting up and saying his goodbyes to the men he was talking with, then he drew near her and bent to give her a kiss. "Will I be seeing you back in the room when you've finished here or while you come with?"

"I'll be there soon-...ish."

He nodded and started walking away, Serena was sure he heard Lita. "Go on, go with your husband."

"I'll see him soon." Serena wouldn't be motivated to go quite yet. She just wanted some quality girl time.

"Aren't you looking forward to, you know." Lita wagged her eyebrows and out of the corner of her eye Mina looked sick. Was there a reason for Mina not being interested in Michelangelo after all these years, had never been? Was Mina playing for a different sort of partner and just the thought of it not her way made her feel ill? Serena would have never guessed but Mina hadn't seemed interested in _any_ of the men in Pony. Sure she flirted with _every_ male, but she wasn't serious about any of them. Serena always just assumed she had a man back home. Was Mina interested in... _her?_ Serena would have to watch how Mina talked to her compared to other females.

Lita was waiting for an answer though and Serena turned her mind back onto the question. "I have been in the company of way too many males in the last week, I think it is time for a little female decompression and then a shower and then to bed. Andrew can wait one more day, I can too. I feel too icky to even strike that match and by the time I get in bed he'll be asleep. Tomorrow morning is a different story." She could understand Mina's feelings because she hated saying that total untruth, well it was only a half truth, she did feel icky and didn't want to see another man before morning if she could help it.

Michelangelo and Nashashuk were still there, but they were talking almost a table away. Every once in a while one of them would let out a loud laugh, but Serena ignored them. Lita shrugged. "I suppose I can understand that, but usually I'm the opposite, I'm with far too many females and need a male simplicity to let my mind unfurl from the chaos."

Serena laughed. "Sounds good too."

"You guys are both crazy." Mina shook her head in disbelief. "I can never get enough of either sex. I want to be with them all the time."

Lita lifted her brow and Serena was glad so she didn't have to. "Do you realize how what you just said sounded?"

"No?"

Lita turned her beautiful green eyes to Serena and rolled them back. Serena grinned in return.

"How does it sound?" Mina pushed, but Serena and Lita moved onto other topics. In the background, Mina was still pushing for an answer. When she grew silent, Serena looked for the silent canary and found the girl looking inward thinking through her words. Then her eyes grew huge and she started gagging on her own air. "Not- at- all- what- I- meant!" If she wasn't choking on nothing, she'd probably be screeching.

Michelangelo came to her rescue and put a hand on her shoulder, pulling them back and telling her to breath. Nice big and slow breaths. Her actions were soothing as everybody who remained watched as she breathed in and out slowly. "Better now?"

Mina nodded and rubbed at her chest. "Why couldn't you just say so?"

"How do you think you would have reacted then?" Lita asked dryly. "It was better this way, at least you could work through where you went wrong."

"Besides, we knew what you meant and went on passed it. It wasn't a big deal." It was the first time she'd seen Mina hyperventilate, if that's what she was doing, and it was kind of scary and a bit eye opening. Mina wasn't nearly as composed as she appeared. Their conversation from Christmas filtered in and she could understand now why Mina was scared to pursue the man she was interested in. She wasn't confident that she could offer him anything he couldn't get elsewhere (if it was a he). Serena covered Mina's hand, and squeezed. "Really it's ok, are you all right?"

"Yeah..." Mina squeezed back and then removed her hand from Serena's, adding it to the one at her chest. "Just a little painful still, but I'm fine, as long as you two know the truth."

"Of course we do." Lita grinned widely and if not a little devilishly. "You like to run after both genders. You're not picky."

"Ha, ha, ha." Mina scrunched up her nose at the taunt. "Very funny."

Serena was surprised by the huge yawn that broke across her face and she couldn't stop the noise either. "Oh, I must be more tired than I thought." She stretched and another one followed. "Perhaps I'd better hold off further conversation until the morning."

"Right, but make sure you get that shower in, you never know what would happen if you got into bed first. You want to at least smell clean if anything were to happen." Lita winked at Serena as she got to her feet and Serena only shook her head with a smile on her lips.

"Are you looking for a story because you're lacking at home?" Serena darted her eyes over to Nashashuk but he wasn't listening.

Lita snorted. "Yeah right. I don't think anyone-"

"Ok, ok, ok." Mina tried to cover up Lita's mouth. "It's not a competition. We get it, you're happily married in a perfect relationship."

"Gets it more than me." Lita bent away from Mina and finished her thought.

Serena laughed hard at the news. "I'm glad for you. I'm not even going to try and figure out where I stand in this hierarchy of getting some. We'll just say you win and Mina loses and we can all go home happy."

"Hey!" Mina protested. "I do not lose."

"Please, you don't get any." Lita started the bickering and sometimes they seemed like sisters, how close all these friends were. Serena rested her hands on the back of the chair and leaned against it, torn between leaving and staying for this conversation to play out. She wanted to know the truth but she would not give in and sit back down. That's just what they wanted, keeping the juicy details until she tried to leave.

"I do too!"

"Oh yeah? With whom? If I recall, last year you had three guys dripping off your fingers like honey and this year, nothing!"

"I do!" Mina realized her voice was getting hirer and she promptly halved the volume. "I get plenty."

"Prove it!" Lita prodded. "Tell us who it's with."

"I can't say." Mina was starting to look like she regretted her outburst. "Don't ask me anymore."

"Mina, who is it?" Serena leaned forward, her face and top half almost parallel with the table. "Is it something bad you're keeping from us?" Had she finally managed to snag her friend's husband? Serena knew that story but for a second she thought Mina was covering up her preference with it but now she realized Mina was just being picky this year. But a week wasn't long enough for her to fall out of love with a man who was taken. But if Serena wasn't mistaken, that man was in New York, wasn't he? Again thoughts of Mina in love with Nashashuk filtered through her head. But perhaps it was a lesser known friend, Mina did get along with a lot of people. Or he might have come for a visit without anyone being the wiser on his identity.

"No?" She practically squeaked that out and clammed up.

"Is he married?" Lita's voice seemed to dip too, but whether it was from shock or disapproval, Serena couldn't be sure.

Mina shrugged and looked down at her lap. She wasn't going to say more. Serena knew it was a lost cause though Lita would poke and pry at Mina for the rest of the month until she was satisfied that Mina wouldn't give and then she'd move on to something else. Serena on the other hand would give up this lost cause and store that information elsewhere, then while time passed, she'd pick up other clues along the way and would know before anyone else the truth. Or so the theory went. For now though, Serena would go take her shower and slip under the nice warm covers. She was noticing that she hit a brick wall and was slowly sliding down it.

"I'll see you in the daytime." She hugged them both before saying goodnight to the men, who hugged her as well and then headed back down towards her apartment.

The next day dawned and Serena laid in her bed, a million thoughts running through her mind and she wasn't sure where to go from here. She could go to work, but with her thoughts still unclear she didn't want to go make things worse. But she missed him terribly, he wasn't that far away and it hadn't been that long but she felt her chest circling into a small ball that was trying to get out and pull her towards the office where she knew where he was waiting. Or hoped he was waiting. Perhaps he thought better of it now that they were back too. He'd be the one in the right.

She rolled out of bed and took special care with her outfit today. She wanted to dress to impress even though she already had him, it felt good to look good for him. She picked a pair of dark skinny jeans that you'd have to look really close to know if it was blue or black.

In her jeans and bra she stared at her closet and decided there was nothing in here that he hadn't seen before that she could wear. She huffed in annoyance, so much for that plan. She pulled out a high-lo royal purple tank and paired it with a white shrug. She turned to look at herself in the mirror at all angles. Ok, she looked cute, that was good enough. In the back of her head she realized she still had a certain Florida flair that she couldn't get rid of and really didn't want to.

She grabbed her purse then headed towards the door, excited to see him again. They'd figure this all out at some point and they'd figure it out together. Pulling on the appropriate, if not too much compared to the locals, over-clothes, she headed to the office at something short of a run.

She swung into the office with a huge smile on her face because she couldn't keep it off and... nothing. The office was bare. All that excitement disappeared in an instant, there wasn't even a fizzle, it was just gone. Her shoulders slumped in disappointment and then she jumped when there were hands sliding over her waist and settled under her jacket and shirt on her bare skin. Cold hands.

So many things fought to be said in that instant when she turned her head to look at the man behind her. "Where are your gloves?" She demanded, her concern for his health taking over everything else.

He chuckled and pushed her forward into the room with his hips. He caught the door with his foot and helped it slam shut. He never did answer her question as he lifted her up and turned her towards her, taking her mouth hungrily with his. Somehow she found herself reclining backwards against the desk and those hands were warming themselves up with her body. Her legs hooked around his waist and pulled him closer as she purred in pleasure.

Thankfully her jeans offered a further barrier that had to be dealt with, and it allowed her enough time for common sense to invade. "All the windows!" She managed to gasp.

He lifted his head and she could see that they were clearly glazed over, like hers were no doubt. He wasn't thinking clearly either and it slowly filtered through and he dropped his head to trail kisses along her- wait, how did her jacket get open? Then he took a step back with a groan and held out a hand to help her to her feet. Her legs felt like jello but she managed to stay upright without his help. He sank into his desk chair and took deep breaths. "You're just too sexy. I surprise myself with that knowledge."

She lifted a brow but he didn't elaborate and she had a feeling she knew what he was getting at. Her nose twitched in amusement. "Perhaps I shouldn't have come at all. If this is going to be a problem."

"It shouldn't as long as you keep wearing pants." He winked at her and she blushed, anything else would be no problem for them as she well knew. "Maybe if you just stay a foot or so away from me at all times while we're in the office..."

"Ok, I can do that." She turned and took only a step towards the couch, where she'd camped out for so long already.

"Wait, no, I change my mind, that's too far away." Darien's voice had the ability to catch her and turn her around like it was his hands. "Come sit on the other side of the desk."

She grabbed her laptop, put it on the oversized white chair and started dragging it towards him.

"No!" Darien jumped to his feet and came around to the other side. "You don't drag furniture on my hardwood!" Serena's face crumpled and she had a hard time fighting the look on her face and Darien clearly saw what she was trying to hide. "Oh real mature."

"Never said I was." Serena smirked.

"If you don't distract me I'm going to drag you onto the floor and let my hardwood have its way with you, windows be damned."

Serena's eyes darted to the chair but she knew her eyes darkened with the image. If he couldn't be strong she didn't know if she could be for the both of them. She licked her lips nervously, she didn't mind this game they'd just found themselves in, but she was scared of being found out by doing something foolish. "Let's just deal with the chair."

He helped her lift the chair up and then carried it over to the desk. She got the best of both worlds but she had to go over the arm to get in and out of it, he minded even if she didn't. He minded a lot, but he didn't say anything, she could just see it every time she got out there was a wince that he quickly tried to cover up. So she tried not to do it as often.

The day ended quickly and her plan to not stress him out backfired when she got stuck in the cushions when she tried to leave for the last time. He was laughing at her as he lifted her up and cleared the chair before slowly setting her back on her feet. "Where are you heading to now?"

"I have a class to go teach."

"In that?" He lifted a brow and ran his hands up the outside of her thighs.

"Well yeah, it stretches and I'm not doing jumps or anything today." Serena's fingers went across the backs of his hands and laced her fingers with his. "But I'll be late if you delay me too much longer."

"Oh, and here I had the idea of taking you back to my place."

That caused her eyes to flicker up. "You've talked to Fred?"

"No, he was gone yesterday when we got home and then he was out in the field this morning. But I'll talk to him today."

"Maybe I shouldn't go to your place until you talk to him. He stopped me yesterday on the way out." She gave him a quick replay of what happened and what was said but didn't go into too many details. It didn't seem as threatening now that she was with him again.

"I'll go back and find him." Darien's jaw ticked. "That was inappropriate. Go teach your class." He dropped a kiss onto her temple but he hesitated before letting her go. "I don't want to leave, I won't see you again until Sunday."

"It's all right. I'm sure you'll find some excuse to pop in at the lodge." It was a holiday weekend otherwise she'd probably spend a few hours in every day. Her eyes danced as he caught her meaning and hauled her closer for a proper kiss goodbye.

"Tease." Another kiss and then one on the tip of her nose. "I'll see you soon."

"Bye." She slipped out the door with a merry wave behind her. This was going to work out well, they still needed to work on the particulars but if he was happy with their new relationship, she wouldn't argue. Whatever he wanted.

When she got into the studio she went straight for Hotaru and the other girls who got invited to study in New York. She was still talking to them when the hair on the back of her head got pulled on. She looked up to see Michelangelo."I haven't seen you so happy."

She smiled but she went back to talking with the students. "Ok guys, we're going to start now!"

The entire class she stayed in the middle of the kids, helping them, directing them, staying away from Michelangelo. She wasn't sure how she was going to sneak out before having to talk to him, but she'd cross that bridge when she came to it.

"That's very good, but you need to do a lift there." Michelangelo cut in to what Serena was doing with four of the students. There were two boys and two girls and she was teaching them a couples' dance. The students tried to copy what he said to do but he clasped a hand on one the students he was working with on the shoulder. "You guys are doing good." He came to them and smiled. "Need a demonstration?" His blue eyes sparkled as he looked to Serena. "Well?"

"I'm not wearing the right clothes for a lift." Serena tried to protest, she'd have to do a jump to do that lift.

Except she was used to people more in the Jace-Zolton range trying to lift her. Michelangelo was just a slight step down from Andrew who cold lifted her all the time. Michelangelo completely ignored her protest and grabbed her hips and tossed her up into the air. He caught her again on her side, he moved one hand to her hip and the other to under her armpit. Her heart was thudding hard at the surprise toss, though she shouldn't have been. "Come on, finish it off."

"You surprised me." Serena defended herself but sighed and did it anyway, her top leg bending so her foot rested on her other knee and she arched into the pose. There were a few murmurs and Serena had a feeling that the boys were feeling daunted. She slipped through his hands and did a half roll on the long path down so she was on her stomach and pushed herself up again in a smooth motion. When she was back on her feet she smoothed down her shirt. "Don't worry, the girls will jump and it won't look quite like that, he's just showing off his strength again but that was the right way out of it."

"Andrew doesn't do that." Hotaru put in as a dig and only Serena and Michelangelo were aware of it and why she'd done so. Apparently she still wasn't over it. "But he's still strong and everyone knows it."

"That's true." Serena didn't give it much credence. "Tomorrow I'll wear the right clothes and show you how to really do that lift. Maybe even with Andrew." She gave Hotaru a pointed look and the girl looked away. "But that's it for me today. Go on and enjoy your Friday." Serena headed towards the door where her boots were and shoved her feet into them before opening the door. She was struggling with her coat but somehow the students beat her and she as just going to be getting out before the last one when Michelangelo called out to her.

"Serena can we talk for a moment?" She couldn't very well deny his request, especially with these students in hearing distance. She paused and let the others go by her with their cheers of goodbyes. She took a moment to collect herself before she turned back to Michelangelo. He had stayed further in the room and rested a hip against the table. "What's the matter? What have I done?"

"What do you mean?" Serena knew she wasn't a very good liar.

"You've been avoiding me." She had. "Did I do something wrong to make you mad at me?"

"I'm not mad at you." That was the very truth, she just didn't want to talk to him, she was _afraid_ that he'd read what happened in her face and her best way of making sure that didn't occur was by avoiding him. She didn't think that he'd make her feel bad about what she'd done, but he'd push her to do something more about it and she didn't need that right now. He might even gloat about how he was right all along. There'd be uncomfortable questions and she didn't have the answers.

"Then why have you done everything in your power to not talk to me since you've been back?"

"I've just been busy. I have so much to do." Maybe she could still get out of sharing anything.

"What happened while you were up there?" Michelangelo pushed off the table and ate the ground between them before she could even turn towards the door and blocked her. He tipped her face up. "Did Darien come on to you?"

"What?" Serena blinked at him.

"I hadn't been sure about the bruise before, but its purple now, and even your makeup can't hide it completely. I thought Darien was being a stand up guy and taking you away from Andrew, though I couldn't believe he could be abusive. But maybe it was Darien who'd made this and forced you to go with him for nefarious reasons."

"Darien and Andrew didn't hurt me in any way." Serena was offended for them and she felt her feathers ruffled and she straightened. "This is slander and I won't allow you to harm their name in anyway- mmrhrmp."

She was surprised by the kiss. It took her a moment to realize he'd actually gone out and done it. She batted at his chest and pushed him away. Anger burned in her eyes but he didn't let her get too far. "Sorry." He reached up to push back a hair that got loose in her struggle. "I just had to know. It's ok, I won't do it again."

Serena felt hurt that he'd even do it once, she'd never made any gestures towards that with him and she never suspected he was harboring any feelings like that towards her. She even felt for a moment or two that he was gay. She found she couldn't say anything.

"You're getting in too deep with Darien and I felt like my chance was slipping away. But that kiss reassured me of one thing, I don't have feelings like that for you, we're friends and only friends."

"Great that you needed a kiss for that, but I sure didn't." She pushed at his chest to put distance between them and he let her go, but he cut off her escape by leaning against the closed door.

"As for your rant about my slandering your husband and boyfriend, don't worry, I wouldn't have done anything like that. Not unless you'd told me one of them hit you. I'll ask later what really happened if you'll learn to trust me enough again. I promise you though, I won't try to kiss you again, that part is over and done with. I felt you slipping away this week and I feared for a moment that my feelings for you weren't pure, that there was more, but there isn't. I am sorry that I violated your space but I won't let you leave here until you promise that things between us haven't changed."

"Fine." Serena waved it away, intending on no such thing but he wasn't fooled and he didn't move. She was starting to get ticked off once more. "You can't keep me in here."

"Actually I can. However I won't scare you and push you, I just... can you at least understand where I was coming from? You're everything I've ever wanted in a woman but I never felt... it, with you. I think you're adorable, sweet, funny, huge heart, interested in a lot of things that I'm interested in. You'd be perfect, if you would just make my heart beat faster just at the thought of you."

"So you decided to kiss me to make sure?"

"You don't love Andrew. You love Darien and I feared that if you ever left Andrew it would be to walk straight into Darien's arms. I would never get a chance then, because by then your feelings would be laid bare with Darien and then you'd be cheating on Darien with me."

Words bubbled up to be spilled out in anger but at the last moment she managed to range them in. She almost spilled that she was cheating on Darien with him now anyway, but the way she was feeling at the moment, she didn't want to lay all bare to him. Wouldn't that be the day? Serena firmed her resolve and managed to bite her tongue. "I have never, not once felt that way towards you. You are a great guy and a wonderful friend, but that's it. I admire you and respect you but I have never felt feelings of love or lust towards you. I cannot promise that things will go back to the way they were, not when I know now that you've been harboring feelings towards me-"

"You're not listening! I _haven't_! On paper you're perfect, in life there's just something missing."

"A lot apparently, but we don't live life on paper and you should have _known _better." Somehow she was managing to keep her calm. But yelling with him was not like yelling with Darien or at a stranger who just grossly stepped over the line with horrible reasons behind the act. No, this man was her friend and though she was angry now, she did harbor hope that eventually they'd find a nice equilibrium again.

"Can't we just pretend that we were caught under mistletoe and laugh it off? That's all that it was to me." Michelangelo took a step away from the door with his hands outstretched and towards her. She stood her ground and didn't even think about cutting around him towards an escape.

She'd seen Mina kiss about five guys, including Darien and she was pretty sure it wasn't a closed mouth kiss every time, before Christmas. Michelangelo hadn't tried anything funny, it was just lip to lip contact and it wasn't even that impassioned of a kiss, a distinct lack of one was there. His hands hadn't wandered and the kiss itself could have easily been passed off as one between good friends gone a little sideways or for fun. Seth had managed a few more risque ones during rehearsals in high school before she wised up to his plan.

All the anger and tension evaporated out of her and she looked up at him with a frown on her face, but less of one that a moment ago. "You absolutely promise that there wasn't anything else behind it? That it won't hurt you to continue being my friend because you're secretly wanting more?"

"I can promise you that, because there is nothing behind it. Not a single thing. I just had to see if paper could be reality and it can't."

"Because I've already hurt one man for far too long." Serena continued, trying to make her position clear. "I won't be responsible for leading on another. I want everything out in the open and all the cards face up. In the future, if I hear one word about a possible interest in me-"

"Don't worry." Michelangelo raised his hands higher in surrender. "I won't be even thinking how good you look in a pair of jeans. You are going into the same category as Mina, would have always been there if the application hadn't been so well written."

"What category is Mina exactly?"

"One of the guys, just with girl parts and needs to be protected from other guys, maybe even ones that are part of 'one of the guys'. Ie some of my male acquaintances or could be friends."

"So I've lost best friend status?"

"You'll only lose that if you don't dish on what happened this week."

"What if I can't 'dish'?"

"Then you at least have to come clean on why you were avoiding me."

Serena sighed and gestured towards a chair. "Might as well be comfortable." Michelangelo took the chair opposite of her and she decided that she could get over this snafu. "I didn't want you prying into my life. You are far too good at reading everything on my face and there are a few things I cannot confirm or deny or share. I also didn't want your advice on it, not until I ask at least because you're going to figure it out anyway."

He pried and he prodded and he got some information out of her but not a lot. He respected that she thought it was better if he didn't know for absolute certainty though he did. And in the end of their conversation he sat back and looked her in the eye. "I know you don't want this, but I have to tell you my thoughts. Darien is a great guy, I've known him for years even if its only been in small doses. Andrew is a great guy too, I've only known him a short while and most of that time has been strife laden but as you've said, I'm not blind. It's a hard choice. Stay in a marriage that you're already committed to and be with a man you know is amazing in all the right ways and who you have a good friendship with and can eventually lead to love again. Or to go with a man you just met but have an instant connection to, who is also amazing in all the right ways and more, with a few flaws, but who doesn't, but whom you love despite and because anyways, who you have a huge passion for. It's hard to know if that passion will go out, you already know you still like Andrew without it. Can you say the same thing about Darien?"

Serena rubbed the bridge of her nose, for some reason her eyes hurt thinking about this. Michelangelo put it well without telling her who to chose. He'd been pushing towards Darien this whole time but he realized that just because their world was a little more loose than here in Montana, didn't mean that she was going to throw away all of her morals. She had to weigh her heart to her sense of self and beliefs. If she threw in the towel now, then she'd lose herself to her love, but if she stayed with Andrew then she'd lose herself to her commitment. If she wasn't careful she could lose both and then what would she be?

The truth should have made things simpler but for some reason it felt more complicated than just the way Michelangelo laid it out for her. But the finer details couldn't be shared and he was aware of the pickle she'd found herself in. He'd known from the start that something hadn't rang true. He was just now shifting through the sand and finding what laid below.

He reached out but his hand hovered above hers, he looked at her unsure. She gave a small nod and he covered her hand and squeezed lightly. "Don't worry, you'll figure it out. Everything will work out the way it should and become clear in time. It doesn't need to be decided right now, does it?

"No, I suppose not." She smiled at him, willing now to completely put that scene behind her. "How come you're so smart?"

"I was born that way." He grinned. "Really though, my dad was a psychologist. He specialized in relationships and sex and identity. But he tried to pair his knowledge with just being a regular person and a regular dad."

This was the first she was really hearing about his life before making it big. She looked deeper, trying to learn more. "And your mom?"

"She was gorgeous. She would have been a model if she had a need for making more money, but she came from a well to do family and got to be a socialite. She met my dad, he was the wrong kind of money for her parents and so she married him. I guess you can say that neither of us really benefited from our knowledge before the first time around." He smiled wryly. "I guess that's true for more than my family."

Serena blinked, not realizing at first that he meant her. "Oh! Yeah, but sometimes people give in too quickly. Sometimes its best to get out as soon as you can. It's even better not to get in before getting in because there is no way its going to work." She rose to her feet. "Thanks for listening but I've got to get going. I've got chores to do and you've got to get some sleep tonight because you'll start your mountain work soon." She was only teasing him in a bid to escape further inspection on her life.

"Bye Sere." He dragged her into a hug before letting her go off. They were both tiptoeing around the issue but it just needed time, soon they'll have forgotten all about it. Until then they'd force the issue until it got natural again.

–

Saturday she spent half the day doing laundry. Nobody would think she had that much from after three days but she was kind of a week or two behind in her regular loads. There were a few items that she needed to get dry cleaned and so after setting everything to dry, she packed them into a bag and headed for the truck.

She grinned as she looked at the old rust bucket, it was a source of great things. It was also a source of annoyances. But she could see why Andrew kept it around. She put her stuff on the seat next to her and turned the truck on. It responded beautifully and she was happy that it could do just that. It sounded like a refined engine too. _So this is what its supposed to sound like_, she mused to herself with yet another grin.

Serena put the truck into reverse and then disaster struck. The truck bounced chaotically up and down and she realized as it tipped side to side that there was something very wrong with one of the tires. She groaned and put it back into park and got back out into the cold air. She stomped around it, trying to figure out what was wrong and couldn't believe that she didn't notice this right away. The truck was tipping to one corner and the tire was completely flat.

This was completely groan worthy and she pulled out her cellphone to call Hadley. "Hey, so I have another job for you."

Hadley was there within the hour.

"You know I just finished the work on this. It can't be a motor issue."

"It's not." Serena leaned against the cold metal and pointed towards the nearest tire. "I have a flat."

"At least you're not out of the parking lot."

"It's not even my truck. It's Andrew's and it worries me that he might have driven this somewhere and it busting on him. I drive this thing about once a year, or so it seems to average." Andrew had this truck for about as long as she could remember. Since he turned sixteen two years before she did, that was a long time and it was used when his parents bought it for him.

"I can assure you about 90%, that I don't think Andrew's even taken it out yet. He's been busy here. I sure haven't seen him on the road." Hadley crouched next to the tire and ran her hand over the tread, looking to see if she could find the puncture without tools or looking too deep. She must not have found anything because she frowned. "Do me a favor and back it up a few inches."

Serena jumped into the cab and did as Hadley asked but it felt wrong to do so though she trusted the other woman with this. "Any ideas?"

She'd never seen the other woman with such a serious look on her face. It was as if she didn't even notice that Serena had asked a question. She was still feeling around the tire. "It seems like someone very pointedly slashed the tire. They didn't try to cover it up in anyway. They actually carved out a letter."

"What letter?" Serena squatted next to Hadley and ran her fingers over where the taller woman had said and the trace was pretty obvious. "H?"

"Not for my name, if that's what you're thinking. I'm not sure why they've chosen that letter. Perhaps it means nothing. I'll go check some of the other vehicles to see if anyone else had a slashed tire."

"I'll help." Serena joined in the search and with the two of them they each took half the vehicles and it still took a bit of time to check all the tires. "Nothing on my end." Serena just finished checking her own, see if she missed anything. "You?"

"Nope." Hadley turned to back her truck up to Andrew's and spoke as she hooked it up. "I'll take it back to see if I can't discover anything else. A tire won't be too hard to replace. You'll get it back tomorrow at the latest. I just need to see what I have in stock."

"Tomorrow's New Years' Eve. I'm sure Andrew won't mind if you waited until the second or so. We're not going anywhere."

"All right. Did you need anything out from here?"

"Yeah, two seconds." Serena leaned over the seat and pulled out the bag she was going to take to the cleaners. She could just walk it there or go another day, it wasn't very important. "Thank you Hadley for coming."

"No sweat. I'm here to help. I'm just glad that you haven't been sitting outside for hours this time."

"Really, thank you Hadley for all your help." Serena insisted and Hadley shrugged, she looked a little embarrassed by how much Serena meant it.

"I'll see you tomorrow for the party." Hadley ruffled her hair as she walked by to get in her truck and Serena waved as Hadley drove off. What a nice lady.

Serena carried the bag back in and wondered what it could have meant. Since it was the only vehicle that had that problem it was either intentionally against Andrew or done by complete mistake and was intended for another truck. There were a few in the parking lot that were older looking. She'd tell Andrew about it when she saw him next.

Since she had more time on her hands than she realized she would, she decided to go have some fun. Then she had a realization that stopped her again, everybody was either working in the kitchen or were out on the mountains teaching or ski patrolling. She sighed, she supposed she just had to go to the kitchen.

She coughed as soon as she entered the room. The entire kitchen was white. Fine white powder that could have either been flour or powdered sugar. Or baking soda, a voice reminded her at the back of her skull. Her mother's voice, someone who would be very disappointed to learn that skills and knowledge of food didn't get passed onto her daughter. At least the girl enjoyed her food and knew more about food in that sense than anyone else. She didn't know what this powder was or how many calories were in a medium sized apple. She just knew if it was good or not or if it was the best thing she'd ever ate.

Serena lifted the hat out of Lita's eyes as she worked on the crust. "Are you a kitchen or a bakery?" She teased, the thing was flopping over because it was too heavy.

"Today? Both."

"What happened in here?"

Lita groaned. "Mina."

Serena chuckled and wiped at the white smearing her friend's face. It only made things worse. "Where is Mina anyway?"

"I sent her back to her job, we'll see if she stays there or gets into more trouble. Perhaps Raye should have assigned Mina on ski school duty to free up some of Michelangelo's time so he could help me. He's a pretty decent cook, at least he doesn't burn things. If you're right, at least Andrew's decent and he'll be around to help. "

"When was this?" Serena tried to help clean up the mess but she wasn't the best at cleaning up messes. She was usually causing them if it wasn't people centric.

"About a half hour ago." Lita wiped at her eye, there was powder clinging to her lash. "I should have known better than to let her within a hundred foot radius."

Serena had to agree. "Well on the bright side it looks like winter wonderland in here. Perhaps the party could be held here, no need to create snow or bring it in now."

"Thanks Polly-Anna." But Lita was smiling and she wiped her white finger across Serena's bridge. "Now you can be one of my fairies."

"Where's Andrew?" Serena asked finding a somewhat clean barstool and hopped up onto it.

"He was just here..." Lita looked around the room as if just noticing and then she shrugged. "Must have gone to check on Mina, I wasn't very calm or nice when I sent her out of here."

"Hmm..." Serena went to dip her finger into the batter of whatever it was Lita was making and got her hand swatted away. "Ok, ok, help only."

"You don't have to be here."

"I can't be any worse than Mina, right?" Serena was only teasing but Lita returned her look seriously.

"I'm not going to take any chances. You'll be on moving duty. Anything you can lift you can move out of my way if I don't need it. But if you can't lift it-"

"Don't?"

All she saw in return was white. Lita had a very attractive smile not that it was what she'd given Serena just then. "I see we're already going to be better matched."

About ten minutes later Andrew came whistling in and he froze seeing Serena. "What are you doing in here?"

"I came looking for people to entertain me. I was bored with nothing to do at the moment."

"And she stayed to help." Lita paused in what she was doing and spoke with Andrew, though one hand continued stirring a pot on the stove. Serena almost volunteered to take that over, almost. "How's blondie?"

"What makes you think I was with her?"

"Please. Where else would you be, when your wife's here with me?" Lita gestured to something high up on a shelf. "Please get that down for me."

Andrew complied and set it on an available surface. "Anything else at the moment?"

"Actually could you and your wife go and buy me some more flour?"

Serena thought Lita was saying wife an awful lot. But maybe it was because she wasn't used to hearing herself called that. And there wasn't a tinge of guilt attached to that whenever she heard it, right? She'd do it, but she wondered why Lita needed the both of them go to for it. She understood when a list got pressed into her hand. Jeez, had Mina ruined all these ingredients?

"Sure thing, wife?" Andrew lifted a golden blond brow and wagged it. "Shall I toss you over my shoulder to get you out of the danger zone?"

Serena giggled and hopped off the stool she'd dragged to the corner. "Not necessary."

"Aw, but I was looking forward to caveman tactics."

"Only if I get to use cave-woman tactics in return and whack you in the head with a stick for being late."

"Who's late? Not me!" He held -out his hand and she took it. "See ya Lits."

After returning from the grocers, using one of the lodge's trucks that Nashashuk had deemed acceptable for them to use, Serena decided not to stay in the kitchen. She had to get ready to teach both of Andrew and Michelangelo's classes today, not completely sure when or why they had gotten their own classes, but more power to them. She preferred to help rather than teach anyway.

She grabbed a coffee on the way, an extra large one that she hoped to finish and toss a block or two away from the studio so nobody could harp on her about her caffeine intake. She was fine, Zolton had said so, but she didn't want to have to explain that to anyone again. Out of the corner of her eye she thought she saw a woman trailing her. But looking again, she saw nobody.

Serena kept glancing into windows as she walked but she only never saw the woman again, when the windows disappeared and she couldn't very well turn around and look. How very strange. She stopped to tie her boot, even though there weren't ties and looked behind her without seeming suspicious. But the woman wasn't there. Perhaps she was just imagining things. Serena shook her head, maybe the coffee was making her paranoid. Maybe she should lay off of it after all.

Classes were great until later in the day when the boys that Michelangelo was going to teach decided they wanted to do something else.

"Michelangelo will be here any minute to teach you-"

"Come on Miss Serena, we're going to show you something cool."

"What about Michelangelo?" Serena pushed.

"He'll find us if he wants to, if not we can leave him a note that class was canceled."

"Oh all right." They didn't have to twist her arm too much, she wasn't adverse to new experiences.

They managed to convince her that dance was off for the day and dragged her to the sledding hill. "Just wait here first. We'll show you."

Serena was itching to go with them, she'd been sledding before and loved it, but she honored their request and watched. She winced as they got pretty aggressive on the slopes. They were jumping over each other, which was fine, but then they were pushing the others off and attempting to take control over all of the sleds they could get their hands on. That probably wouldn't have bothered her, she recalled doing things like that with Andrew and Lizzy growing up too, but when the students started rolling down the hill and almost got hit by other sledders she thought it was time for intervention, but not by her. She grabbed one of the sleds the boy brought to a halt and ran up the hill towards the ground escalator and heard shouts behind her, but the boys were running up behind her, trying to catch her, and they were laughing. They probably didn't expect a female adult to be so chill or playful.

They didn't manage to steal her sled, she was too quick, learning how to angle her sled to go faster but without losing control. Second time down she even managed to steal one of the boys' sled. Then seeing one left out, gave him hers and let them go at it. It was a fun hour with them and she hadn't felt herself laugh for awhile in quite this way. The boys had fun too and they managed to get her up the hill one more time.

This time she got knocked out, as nice as a knock out could be, and she found herself rolling down the hill. She couldn't stop laughing. Even when she rolled to a stop at someone's feet, but they hadn't been there the last time her eyes had seen anything but snow. They must have ran to be there to stop her. She looked passed the legs but there wasn't any danger. Her eyes flickered up the long expanse and saw Michelangelo standing there. "Are you all right?" He lifted her easily to her feet without her intending to get to them at that precise moment.

"I'm fine." She batted away his hands. "It takes more than that to hurt me. I'm tough."

"You're a pipsqueak." One of the boys said coming up to her side. "But you are tough." He added as an after thought.

"See?" Serena was proud that someone recognized it, even if Michelangelo didn't.

"Fine, fine, I just worried about you rolling down the hill like that. It could have been bad."

"It was _fine_." Serena insisted and patted down to get the remaining snow off her. "Thanks for a lovely time boys!"

"Sure, come out and do it again."

"Looks like you've made some friends."

"Yeah it does." Serena agreed, turning to go back. Michelangelo matched her step. "I thought you were on ski patrol duty."

"I am but I stopped in for a bite to eat. This is also part of my duty."

"Really? I thought it fell under Nashashuk's section, since its really not all that dangerous."

"There have been a few injuries on it." Michelangelo shrugged not looking in the least disturbed. "Well, just checking in on you, see you later." He headed back towards the lifts and Serena rolled her eyes, Michelangelo.

She went in for a hot chocolate, since they were free for staff and checked in on Lita one more time. But Lita waved her away, apparently, and no big surprise to Serena, that Andrew was more of a help than just moving things. He could cook too. Serena tried telling them, but they had to learn the hard way. Serena went back to her laundry and put it away, then took a nice long hot shower and crawled into bed with one of Mina's books. She'd recommended it, but currently Serena wasn't enjoying it, it was about a man who was in a committed relationship and another woman was trying to convince him that he was better off with her. It was in her point of view so the author was trying to make it more acceptable, but Serena couldn't agree with either of their stances. He should just end it with the woman he was with, they were still dating but she hadn't learned yet if there was a reason the man was holding back or not.

She was not ignoring the fact or the irony on how it paralleled her own life, but there were factors here that didn't exist in a novel, factors that she couldn't get around as easily. Mina had said it changed her outlook on a lot of things. Serena didn't get what benefit Mina had found in it, at least not yet. Serena was still trying to figure out if she'd continue reading it, but she fell asleep before she could come to any conclusions.


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

AN: Ugh, do you know how hard it is to completely revamp a chapter when you've already written the following one? It's not just making sure you don't go off on a line that isn't covered later, or even missing a line that _is _but it's also a matter of making sure this new revamp is what you want because there is no going back. That said, I have actually managed to do it. I'm happier now with the way things are going and I still get to have a few of my 'snide' comments in here that I was loathe to take out. Not snide as in me the author, but one of the characters... hehe... Maybe in the future I'll give you a broken version of what this chapter was originally going to be and let you decide. :) On retrospect one of the comments have been moved to the next chapter.

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Sunday dawned bright and early and Serena had to get out of bed. She promised she'd help out with the set up of all the decorations and tables and whatnot. She made herself a huge pot of coffee and managed to drink two cups before Andrew came out looking sleepy. "Rough night?"

"I didn't get in until late." He agreed. "Lita's a task stickler. I should never volunteer a new aspect of myself to anyone, I'll never be able to sleep otherwise." He filled up his own cup. "How'd you sleep?"

"Like a baby." She had too, it was marvelous.

"I wish I had your ability to shut off my mind."

"I don't have that ability." She argued. "I just didn't have anything pressing on it at the time." She eyed him curiously from across the counter-top. "What was so daunting for you to set aside?"

"Nothing much and that was the problem, I suspect. I'm so happy with my life here that I'm not thinking of what I need to do next, but more worrying about where I go from here."

"Nowhere. Settle down, have a family, be content with your life. Maybe one day open up your own resort if you want to."

"And you, would you be happy with that kind of life?"

"Not a chance." She was being honest and he nodded. "But you knew that. I hope I didn't disappoint you."

"No, just realizing that there are reasons why things don't work right when you want them to and work perfectly when you weren't expecting it at all." Andrew lifted his sleepy greens to her. "Thanks though for supporting me even when it drags you away from your own aspirations."

"I'd do just about anything for you." Serena shrugged. "Except have your children. I'd raise your children but don't expect me to have them."

Andrew laughed. "Oh I don't think either of those things are in the cards. Not now or in the near future." They had to get moving and get dressed because they had things to do so Serena couldn't accurately respond to that one. She threw on something comfortable, she'd come back before the party started and get glamorous.

Setup didn't take as long as they had thought with all the hands helping but it did take a few hours still and they had to go back and make sure everything was finished and done right.

She couldn't help but be a little disappointed that Darien hadn't come around like he said he would. She didn't like going for such a long time without seeing him. Sure she'd see him at the party tonight and all day tomorrow but they wouldn't be alone during any of it. They would have to act like nothing happened between them.

It was with these thoughts that Serena changed into her dress for the night. It was a formal party and so she dressed appropriately. The color was gorgeous and set off her eyes beautifully. It was one of her favorite dresses for that alone, the fit and the material just made it top tier for her. It hugged all the right curves and hid any she might not have wanted pronounced. In this case it gave her a bit more of a defined waist. She had flutter sleeves and so she brought with her a wrap in case she got cold.

Andrew was in the kitchen, there was a full length mirror on the opposite wall and he was fixing any last detail that might have needed it while he waited for her arrival. He looked up when she shut the door behind her and she watched as a slow smile unfurled as he took her all in. "My, you are quite something. I am the luckiest man in the world to have you on my arm tonight."

"Dear Andrew, don't you realize it is I whose bringing _you_?" She held out her arm but it wasn't in the way a gentleman would, but a poor imitation because it was obvious that she'd never had to do it before.

Andrew chuckled as he took her hand and rested in the crook of his arm. "I'd be honored if you'd let me bring you."

Serena sighed dramatically. "I suppose... Very well, you may be my escort." But she couldn't keep it up and her lips twitched upwards. There was a twinkling in Andrew's eyes as well.

When they arrived at the party there were a number of guests that had shown up already. Several were from town and not very many were from the hotel yet. But they were trickling in slowly, afraid of being too early. Though by now that fear should be abated somewhat.

The evening passed fairly uneventfully, she got to meet a lot of new people and was surprised that there was anyone left in this town she hadn't met yet. Darien arrived, but though she saw him at a distance, he didn't even look towards her or acknowledge her at all. He was too busy greeting other people and making his rounds. She didn't take the initiative and go towards him either, she just kept doing what she was doing and pretending it didn't bother her in the slightest.

Andrew surprisingly was at her side most of the night. He stayed and chatted with everyone Serena chatted with and had amusing anecdotes. There was a witty banter going between them at one time with jokes their audience didn't understand, but smiled politely at anyways. When the latest couple moved away to greet people they knew, Darien was finally upon them. "Ah, Serena and Andrew, how nice to see both of you again."

"We see each other practically every day." Andrew shook Darien's hand. "But yeah, I'll have to say the same thing."

Darien wrapped Serena in his arms and for a moment she had a panic attack that he was going to do more than hug her but then he was releasing her, though not completely. With one hand on the small of her back he turned and introduced them to another couple that he knew growing up. His hand lingered there and she could feel the heat of his hand through the thin material of her dress. But he was a perfect gentleman the whole time, he could have gotten away with a small stroke or other intimate gestures, but he didn't. He even removed his hand moments later as if realizing he had forgotten it there.

He was completely neutral with her, he was not angry as he had been for months and he was not the loving man she had a getaway weekend with. He was just... a perfect host in his once home.

"Hey Serena, you'll remember this guy-" Serena's head turned at Andrew's words, wondering who she could have known and just met the once, but with relief she noticed that Rab wasn't here, he didn't come back for the holiday.

What was wrong with her? She wasn't this nervous coming home and she was sure it had been plastered on her face all weekend. Maybe it was because he hadn't been around to reassure her that what they had was right. Maybe it was because for the first time he was there with Andrew in the same room. Maybe it was because she's a psychopath and needed to relax a bit more. Whatever it was, she wished she could go back to that state of calm she had only this morning. It was sort of ironic that when Dairen was so calm she was twitching out beneath her skin. Usually she had to at least try to remain calm in the face of his anger.

But right now today, there was nothing.

Serena couldn't dwell on that though, she plastered a smile onto her face, recalling the acting skills that had grown a little rusty and greeted everyone she met as if they were the most important being in the planet. She could totally rock a tiara and be a princess with that skill. With every step away from Darien though she felt her heels dragging and it was just a bit harder to maintain her energy. This was wrong, Darien should have been the one to have his arm wrapped around her waist, not Andrew, no matter how much she loved him.

She had to constantly stop herself from letting her eyes skate over the heads of the people nearest her and seek out that man. He was somehow easy in this crowd, he was slightly taller and slightly darker than the rest of them. Or maybe it was because she just had a homing beacon on him. She instinctively knew where he was.

Which is why it was no surprise an hour before the count down that she found herself in the hallway talking with Mona and listening to another conversation just inside the doors. The conversation with Mona was interesting when she came back down and focused on putting words together instead of just letting them drift off into the air. The conversation inside was keeping Serena sane even if it wasn't particularly interesting. It was always easier to be amused by people when you didn't know them or weren't a part of it, though her conversations were probably exactly the same.

Her eyes slithered passed Darien when she realized she was looking at him again and not paying attention to Mona. Then her attention was arrested and her eyes flicked back to him in shock. Darien was hugging a woman she'd never seen before. It was a warm and friendly hug, warmer and friendlier than when he hugged her earlier. It wasn't the hug that had caught her attention though, it was the fact that the first thing she'd seen was a kiss shared between the two of them, a short one of greeting on the lips. She'd never seen Darien kiss another female except with Mina surprised one on him. He hadn't pulled away, instead he kept his arms around her and was talking to her like she was the center of his world.

Jealousy flashed bright and hot in Serena's body as she noticed the interaction, her vision blurring out everything else around the two of them. She could barely manage a polite goodbye as she made her way towards them, not knowing her feet were taking her there until she was practically upon them. In retrospect Mona could have probably told her all she needed to know if she'd come down long enough to explain or if Serena even asked.

At the very last minute she'd managed to skid to a halt before she acted without thinking and pounced on this woman. Or have a terrible row with Darien in front of everyone and completely blow her cover out of the water. She didn't know what was wrong with her, she'd never been jealous for a moment in her life in the past. She'd either had no reason to be or had reasoned it out rationally. This was not a rational Serena that faltered in her step across the ballroom and didn't notice that someone ran into her because of her slip-up.

All Serena could focus on was that only family was allowed to touch Darien. _Only _family. And this was definitely not family, she was not remotely related. Her strawberry blond head with green eyes was the furthest thing removed from Darien's genealogy that was so strongly shown in his slightly darker skin and laughing lips as he responded to something this blond said.

Fire burned in her eyes as she made her way closer, intent on a confrontation that was sly and something that this woman would understand clearly without raising the alarm on her. She was angry that Darien was being so friendly with this woman, he was her man and nobody else was supposed to touch him or be that close.

Before she could reach him though a hand wrapped around her wrist pulling her to a halt. "Oh there you are!" Hadley was grinning from ear to ear as she pulled Serena into a hug and Serena had never seen the woman so cleaned up before. She looked nice in her black slacks and pressed white top, even if she might have looked like wait-staff. The only thing saving her from being confused was the blue earrings and necklace. She'd even styled her short sandy hair. "Have you seen Mona?"

"Yeah, I just left her in the hallway." Serena responded on autopilot, she wanted out of this conversation and to go over towards where Darien was standing too close to that green-eyed witch. She wasn't even aware that she'd responded, her thoughts were still too wrapped up in the man who wanted nothing to do with her tonight.

"Oh." Hadley paused then shrugged. "I've got the truck back, it's in the parking lot. It was just the tire." Serena nodded at that knowledge. "You know... Mona and I were talking-"

Serena pulled her attention back painfully, she didn't want to be rude and tried to concentrate on what Hadley was saying. "What about?"

She just missed seeing that green-eyed woman slip her hand into another man's. "Well we were thinking about having you and Andrew over for a dinner one of the nights this coming month."

Serena's eyes sparkled as she warmed to the conversation. "That sounds like a lovely idea Hadley, I'm in. I'm sure Andrew will be too. We should make a plan. When were you thinking?"

"The twentieth?" Hadley suggested and Serena bobbed her head. "Sounds perfect. Will it be at your place or Mona's?"

Hadley's eyes slid side to side before she answered. "We're living together now. I moved in with her about a week ago."

"That's wonderful!" Serena tried to keep her enthusiasm down so as not to be heard. Most of the people from town she met were pleasant but they could be very opinionated too and she was aware that Hadley was sensitive of it getting around though it'd get out sooner or later, especially now with them living in the same house without needing to.

"Hotaru will benefit from having two parent figures." Hadley admitted as if that was the only reason but Serena knew better and Hadley's eyes danced because she knew it too. Serena loved these conversations that had so much being said in what _wasn't _said. Serena nodded her agreement to their plans. She was happy for them. Hadley's eyes flickered over her head and she chuckled. "Seems Darien's long lost love is back in town. I hadn't been aware she was back. Usually she stops in for a special visit when she's here."

Serena pretended she was turning and looking for the first time though her stomach clenched against the idea of seeing the two happy in each other's arms again and a faint frown crossed her lips when she saw the woman wrapped in another man's arms as they faced Darien and talked to him. "Lost love?"

Hadley chuckled seeing the look on Serena's face that she couldn't hide. "Yeah, that's the only woman that I'm aware of that Darien's ever loved who didn't return his feelings in the slightest. Oh but they had dated for awhile, I forgot about that."

Color was wretched from her features and Hadley looked at Serena in concern. "Oh... was he terribly hurt when they broke up?"

"At the time? Sure." Hadley nodded and put a reassuring hand on Serena's arm. "Raye and Amy will gush on and on about her, how she's of the sweetest, most even tempered women they have ever known and that much is true. They'd probably also say she would have been perfect for him, but there I disagree. He needs someone who challenges him and makes him fight for what he wants, makes him realize not everything is always going to be his way. She was smart enough to get out and away from him before he could bowl her over and control her life like everything else he touched."

Raye found them then and stopped next to them also looking over across the people and seeing her brother and his ex. She laughed. "Telling stories again Hadley? They never actually dated. She got out long before that. Sure there was a flirtation going on before our parents died but it didn't go anywhere after that. Darien became obsessed with making things right for us and secure for the future. Mia married and moved to Portland after graduating and she comes around rarely. She got here before Christmas but declined to come to our party at that point, preferring a low-key family affair." Raye shook her head. "Darien looks miserable, probably regretting not pursuing her. He's talked about her often enough over the years and wondering what her life was like now."

"She's married now." Hadley added. "And by the looks of it happily, though I don't recall meeting the husband on the rare visits home."

"Got kids too, met them once or twice but no, never met the husband either."

Serena's stomach sunk to her feet, Darien had never pursued a woman who was married before and now that he'd broken that streak with Serena, would he allow his advances towards Mia, the woman he'd loved for years? But she seemed happily married, but that didn't mean she was off limits. Serena had seen happily married too if it hadn't been for her actions before arriving to town. What would this mean for them now that he'd seen the woman again after years of putting her on a higher and higher pedestal?

If that greeting was anything to go by, Serena's relationship with that man was doomed. Now that she'd had two women grounding her to her spot, she was forced to stay and reflect over the other woman. She was a pretty little thing, she had striking coloring and features and she _did_ look so happy with her husband.

Her thoughts were calming at this point. Ok, so it was the holidays and so Darien had a crush on her at one point, people got over crushes, didn't they? Besides they'd both dated other people, she couldn't be jealous of anything as harmless as that. Raye had even clarified that they had never really gotten started so there wasn't anything that they could reminisce on and regret ending.

She probably wouldn't be feeling so off if he had greeted her with a modicum of what he'd done with this stranger. Serena felt like _she_meant nothing to him, that _they_ were the ones who had no history, even this very recent history. She was feeling very vulnerable and open right now as he treated her like she was part of the decorations.

How could Darien be so cruel? Was this whole thing a way to get back at her? Did he actually have an ulterior motive behind taking her away? Had Darien brought her out of dodge to get her to admit to her feelings so that on New Years Eve in front of everyone else he could crush her under his heel? She would have never thought it, but he had openly dismissed her as if he didn't even know she existed. The plan being to get her to admit to her feelings, make her open and vulnerable and then turn tables on her in a public setting like she had done to him, however unwittingly? If that was his plan, it was working. It was cruel, oh so very cruel. Serena felt her stomach drop and it rolled and twisted. It was having a dance of its very own.

She felt like crying and her bottom lip quivered in the knowledge. Sleeping with her must have just been an extra bonus, the real plot was getting her to trust him and these feelings. He couldn't out her, not anymore, well maybe he could if he wanted to, but this was a sly revenge. This was cold and devious, this was treating her like dirt and making sure she stayed around for the victory lap. Once he knew he still had her on the hook after they returned, he let everything else go into action. That's all Friday had been between them.

"I'd like to meet her husband." Hadley said and Serena looked back at her startled not realizing that the two women were still talking about the trio over there, not until they started moving in that direction and Hadley prodding her along with them. Serena looked one last time at escape dwindling before her eyes as she dutifully joined them with no reason to deny the introduction.

Raye and Hadley gave the other blond long hugs and there was a bit of gushing before Mia introduced her husband. "My kids will be here for the festivities tomorrow but you dark horse, you're well on your way to becoming a mother too, so you'll know all about this soon enough!" Mia's hand reached out and cupped Rei's belly and she grinned when she felt a kick in response.

It was kind of like Serena wasn't there as all of them caught up on missed information and old times. She was just about to slip quietly back into the crowd when Darien's hand came out and rested on her elbow, pulling her forward once more and hating him for denying her escape. But he tethered her to this world and she realized with a start that he wasn't ignoring her and was bringing attention to her now too.

Raye slid her eyes to Serena apparently realizing that she was still there and having forgotten in her rush to talk to the girl she'd thought was perfect for her brother but was unfortunately now off the market. "I apologize everyone for not introducing you, this is Serena, our newest employee and a great addition."

"Serena?" Mia asked with surprise as her eyes ran over Serena. "You don't strike me as a teacher."

"I'm not." Serena responded baffled.

Darien laughed. "She's not by trade." He corrected for her. "She's only been filling in time with the students around here by offering her knowledge when it fits in around her other job." His eyes lowered down to hers and she could feel their warmth, her lips parted a little but he covered the silence quickly. "We were just talking about you."

"I'm sure you were." She hoped it didn't sound catty but she very much doubted that he'd waste his precious moments with his once paramour with talking about _her._ He heard it though when everyone else continued on as if she hadn't said it and his eyes were perplexed.

"Actually we were. I'm sorry for the confusion, I just that you came here as a dance teacher. My mother has been going on and on about all the things I've been missing in my stubborn refusal to return home for more than a week a year. There's just too many other adventures to be had with our free time." Her eyes smiled up at her husband and Serena wondered how many kids they had if they could still look at each other like that. Suddenly all her new fears seemed old and dissolved right out of her.

Mia wasn't going to leave her husband for Darien and with his hand on her elbow still, she reckoned if he even bothered making a play for the other blond. He wouldn't. Not with Serena in his life now. She felt sorry for even being jealous for a moment and for taking it out on anyone.

"What kind of things?" Hadley asked though she was around for most of them, she might not have realized how great they were.

"Mother positively raved about that dance you had put on with the children after Christmas. She was hoping for a second showing in the days following but you had left. I was foolish enough not to attend, or so she says. My children enjoyed it too but I enjoyed the alone time spent with my husband." She smiled up at him. "Tonight is another night of _breaking away_, if you know what I mean? I hear you are married as well?"

"She is." Raye agreed for her. "We were asking for a sequel to the last performance as well, but she's _thinking _about it. Maybe if you stick around your children might be interested in it, or even a few lessons if that weren't possible."

Serena about told Raye _no _but caught her tongue in time. There was no reason to stop Mia's children from coming to a lesson or anything else. The children shouldn't be punished for their parent and especially for Serena's dislike of her. She really didn't see any of the attributes that Hadley and Raye had laid out for her. Mia just seemed snobby without a reason to be. Instead as they talked above her, making plans and changing them she was _trying _to free her arm from Darien's hand. It was odd for him to touch her for so long, especially in public like this. His fingers stiffened enough to inform her that wasn't his ideal action and that he wouldn't let her go until he was good and ready to. If that was an allegory for their relationship, Serena pushed it out of her mind as a possibility soon after it entered. That charge could be laid at both their feet.

"Well..." Mia drew out as she glanced unsure at Serena. "Having not seen it for myself I can't be sure if I want to potentially derail their training for a mini-lesson during vacation. While I dislike how out of shape they can be by the time they get back, I'd rather them not learn something incorrectly, or at least opposed to the way their teachers would like it." She gave a tight smile towards Serena at that and if she wasn't very much mistaken, that was a very well disguised dig.

"Everyone does have their own quirks and ways of teaching certain moves but the basics are all the same essentially. One cannot incorrectly learn a move if it is an universal move. There are industry standards." She pulled her arm free from Darien at that. See if he caught _that _double barb. "However I agree, it is unfair to the children to learn that there are different teachers out there than the ones their parents have deemed right for them. I'm going to go find Andrew and-"

"He's right there." Raye cut in and called out to him before Serena could yet again make an exit. The fates had aligned to make it impossible for her to leave this impossible situation. She was starting to get more and more irritated.

Andrew came up to them and wrapped his arms around Serena in a move very similar to the one her husband had done with Mia. Mia reached out a hand at that and Andrew removed one from her waist to shake the other blond's hand. "Wow, you're pretty."

Serena dug her elbow into his gut at that. Mia might be pretty but at the moment she was only someone Serena wanted to stuff down a garbage chute. "Why thank you." Mia blushed at the compliment. "I can see why Serena keeps you around Andrew Moon."

"Oh-" Andrew started but Hadley was snickering off to the side. Raye stepped in quickly to explain the older woman's behavior.

"His name is Andrew Crowne, he and Serena don't share a last name." She seemed to be wondering about that just as she'd said it as if it was the first time she'd really noticed.

"Serena, didn't you say that was because of work?" Dairen lifted a brow, not knowing why he was helping her and she was surprised he did.

"Yeah." She agreed. "It was too much of a hassle to change my last name and everything attached to it. I'd already made a name for myself before I had even considered taking his name on."

Mia lifted a brow at that. "Really? Were you some type of famous prodigy dancer before you came here and then got hurt and have been teaching classes since? That changing your name would require you to go on the attack to make sure people still found you when they've been searching for your old name?"

Serena took a steadying breath, she would not respond to that attack, she wouldn't... "Actually Serena's our media consultant." Raye responded bristling a little in Serena's defense now seeing how moody Mia could be too. "She's done the teaching out of the good of her heart and there might be plenty of reasons not to change a last name just because a woman gets married. Some cultures don't believe in it."

"Spanish cultures think our children will have a combined last name." Andrew added. "We don't take each others names in that occasion."

"Neither one of you are Spanish." The woman was so self-assured and didn't back off. "The only time I've heard the name Moon outside of Native American culture was in a TV show and the woman was British. Are you British, Serena?"

"Possibly but I know my last name actually connects closer to a Native American tribe than any British ancestry."

"Mia, please introduce me to some of your other classmates? I'm only here for a short time and I haven't had the opportunity to get out here much." Her husband swooped in at a safe point and pulled his wife away form creating further arguments. He gave them a reluctant smile and mouthed 'sorry'.

"I wonder what her deal was." Raye harrumphed. "I've never seen her like that before."

"Jealousy." Andrew stated rubbing Serena's shoulders. "She's intimidated by a beautiful blond living in the lodge. She thinks she'll be nudged out completely now."

Hadley shook her head. "We've always had Mina." Raye cast her panicked look as one of the elders walked by but the tall woman shrugged. "Now we just have two pretty blonds that Mia can't dare compete with."

Serena smiled her thanks up at Hadley, at least she was confidence bolstering. Raye looked at them a little oddly. "Just who is she competing over?"

"You and Amy." Andrew answered for everyone present. "She used to fly in here and think she was queen bee, did she not? Now she has to actually do something to merit that attention."

"Hmm." Raye nodded. "I guess I can see that." She ran a hand over her waist and rubbed a spot the baby must have kicked. Darien pressed his palm against her waist as well and felt another kick on the other side. "The little bugger is feisty."

"Just like its mummy." Darien spoke softly and Serena could see the love he had for his family, he was excited to be an uncle even if he didn't say it. He'd be a good one too. He was right Raye was feisty but it could be taking after its uncle too.

Andrew hugged Serena closer as they watched the family interaction, his hand brushing her stomach and she felt bad for the man behind her. He'd wanted kids from the day he was old enough to realize that there were babies. He was a protector and a lover of all things. Serena leaned back into his embrace and relaxed. She had felt that growing up and Lizzy had too. She couldn't have asked for a better childhood and it was because of the two Crowne children and their collective parents. It really did take a village to raise a child. Raye's child would have a lot of loving adults in its life.

Thankfully nobody took Andrew's action and ran with it in a totally incorrect way, there was nothing to be gleamed by that action except that he was looking forward to his own child. Or Serena swelled with a bun in the oven. She was definitely _not _pregnant. There was no reason to even think it. They _always_ used two forms of contraception knowing full well one might not work like it was supposed to.

At this point, Serena wasn't sure what to feel, she was elated that Mia was taken and was clearly losing points in the Shield sister's eyes. But she was also a little sad as she was held by the wrong man. She loved Andrew, she really truly did. She loved being held by him, it was like a great big comforter wrapped around her, warm and secure. But he didn't give her the thrill or the zing through her bones that even relaxed in his embrace she was _aware_ of him.

It was New Years Eve and she wouldn't be spending the drop of the ball with the one she wanted to be with. This wouldn't have been her ideal way to spend it anyway. There were far too many people here that she didn't know, she wanted to be celebrating it with the people she cared about and ones that she wanted to be with her in the new year.

She was also ticked off that he would keep something so big from her. He had to know that the woman was in town, didn't he? The sisters had and he spoke with his sisters, they would have been all too happy to share that news with him. Even if that wasn't true, this was a woman who clearly had some type of hold over him. And as Andrew held her, she could help but forgive him, here she was doing something just as bad if not worse. Darien's eyes lifted from his sister to Serena and they clashed. How could she do this to _him? _Guilt joined all her other emotions.

Hadley excused herself and joined Mona when she spotted the other woman again. Darien and Raye started in on a discussion about something, but Serena didn't hear what it was while Andrew whirled her onto the floor for a dance before she could think beyond that thought and Andrew tried his best to make her smile once more.

He succeeded as he always did in the end, but it was forced upon her lips to get him to stop worrying and just to enjoy the night. When the dance ended, Michelangelo tapped in for a round and was actually asked to step aside by Zolton.

Jace didn't dance with her and he was wise not to. Raye while it seemed like water was under the bridge wouldn't be opposed to a flair up of old grudges. Nashashuk didn't ask her for a spin either, but that was probably because he and Lita had slunk out when they thought nobody was the wiser. For how long those two had been married, one would think- but Zolton actually kept her from thinking about too many people around her as he managed to pull her back into a highly intellectual conversation. She might not talk like it but she did go to a very good school after all and he hit on a topic she knew about.

When the two of them finished with their song he thanked her for her time and walked off to join Amy. Serena looked around for Andrew and found him dancing with Mina. They looked like they were having a good time and so she let them be and used that time to make her, temporary, escape.

She thought whimsically on the porch about the fact that for New Years whoever you were with at the time the clock struck midnight it'd be who you were going to be with for the rest of that year. She was alone this year, just like she felt like she would be and had been for so long. Sure people came and went from her life, but she was never really truly with anyone. Not like she was with these people.

"There's about ninety seconds left before the ball drops. Don't you want to come inside and watch it?" Darien's smooth voice reached her before the sound of his steps did.

"Not especially." Serena looked up to the stars in the sky. The moon was hidden behind a cloud and there were too many stars to begin knowing where to look, but it was pretty. She could even make out Darien's features as he sat next to her on the cold bench and handed her a glass of champagne. "Why don't you go in?"

"Because I'm with the person I want to be with right now."

"Is that only because you can't have who you really want?"

He gave a mirthless laugh. "Think being with you means I can have the one I want?"

Serena tore her eyes away from the sky, really it was quite breathless, there was still a place in this great big country where you could see so many stars without the interference of lights. She thought the natural lighting and changes of this place was better than any ball that didn't even shatter when it reached the bottom. For all the money that a city had like New York, one would think they could come up with something better. She caught herself then, who was she? She's the one that liked all that cheesy cheap entertainment.

This place had changed her and she couldn't be sure if it were for the better. She let her eyes look over Darien's features and a smile forced its way along her mouth. She didn't have to fake it with him. "You have me."

"And you're who I want." Darien read the insecurity in her voice and rose to his feet once more and closed the distance. "I'd think I'd have made that clear by now."

"With the way you treated me today-"

"Because its what you wanted. Or what I thought you wanted. I couldn't keep my hands off of you today. I kept finding reasons to touch you and not let you go."

"I wish we'd discussed that, it would have helped in so many ways-"

"If I tortured you it's your own damn fault, now you know how I feel every minute of every day." His voice rasped and tugged her closer into the heat of his body but they still weren't touching. She wanted to close that distance but she was also angry. "Ten." He murmured by her ear.

"What?" Then she heard the chant in the other room and his word didn't seem so out of place.

"Will you be my New Years kiss?" His words were like he read her mind and she couldn't say anything but a positive, not that she'd wanted to deny him in what she wanted as well.

"I thought you'd never ask." They counted down softly and then their lips met. She knew they still had much to discuss, things weren't going to wrap up into a little box with nice packaging. But she was reassured. They were in the right direction.

After a heart beat or two where he just stared into her eyes, he lifted his glass for a sip. "Meet me tonight, I'm staying in my room here at the lodge."

"It's already midnight and the party won't end for another few hours. I'll be meeting you in the predawn hours."

"Then meet me at my room when you can. I'll wait all day if you make me." Darien traced her lips with his forefinger. "It has been too long since the last time I have been able to show you my true feelings."

"I won't be able to stay. I have to wake up in my bed." She reached for his hand and cupped her fingers around his palm. If they had met before tonight it would have made her a lot more sure of where she was with him before that disaster downstairs but the last minute and a half had erased most of her fears.

"So is that a no?"

Serena shook her head. "That's a- I'll be there."

"There I shall wait. Enjoy the rest of the party." Darien stole one last kiss from her before disappearing off the porch.

It wasn't too much longer after the countdown and Serena found her way to Andrew's side. He hooked an arm around her and took a drink out of a champagne bottle floating around. He made no mention to where she'd been and nobody of particular mention was nearby so she just joined in the merry-making though her mind was already on to what would be happening in a few hours.

Serena still let her eyes wander around the room, landing for a moment on Mia. Mia looked enthralled with her husband and Serena noted that there wasn't a glass of bubbly in her hand. Perhaps she didn't have to worry about that one. It seemed as if Darien had disappeared for good. She couldn't believe he'd go straight to his room to wait her out. She felt like she should go now, but her presence when missed would be noted as odd, Darien's behavior was pretty typical of him. He'd either be there fully or he'd be there as little as he could. She had to wait at least half an hour if not a full hour.

The after the drop party was fun but she noticed every minute tick painstakingly slow. She kept checking the mood of the crowd around her, she'd made sure that her presence was known by everyone who could make her life hell and then slowly made her way towards escape. But there was one person she had to say something to, to make sure there was someone who could answer the question and start the rumor. She grabbed Andrew's hand when she discovered him again chatting with a pretty brunette. Serena had seen her earlier but at that time the brunette had been with her boyfriend.

"Drew... I'm going to head down to the room."

"Is something the matter?" That caught his attention and she shook her head.

"No. I'm just going to be gone for awhile. Don't worry about me, it might take me awhile to come back."

"All right..." Andrew slid a strand of her hair back behind her ear. "Are you sure every thing is fine?"

"Peachy." She grinned at him and she must have seemed like it because he slowly let her hand go and she managed to slip away. Nobody was in the hallway when she got there and veered straight towards the Shield's private wing. She heard voices when she got closer and she slid close to the wall, waiting until they went away. It was Jace and Raye. They must have headed back before her. When their voices died down she tread carefully. It was kind of exciting to be such a daredevil and the element of getting caught was exhilarating.

She hadn't been positive in which room was Darien's and she had to guess. The first door she opened lead into a room that could have been his, it was blue afterall, but it was too feminine and so she backed out. The next one was red and with a quick click shut she closed it once more, that had to be Raye's. Having to cross the hall's width to get to the other door, she steeled herself and bolted for it, turning the knob and quickly closing the door behind her.

She worked on getting her breathing back to normal and looked up off the ground to see a lone figure standing across the sitting area, looking out into the world beyond. He turned slowly and there was a drink in his hand a serious look in his eyes. "You're earlier than I thought you'd be."

"I guess I was too anxious to wait any longer."

She was pleased to see a small smile lift up the corner of his lips. "I am glad to hear it." He crossed the sitting room and took her hand, guiding her into the space beyond the safe area of the door. She could explain being there, she could not explain anything else. But once she was in the sitting room she felt herself relaxing, perhaps she could explain that too. "For future reference, there is another way in, one less likely to get you caught by my sisters."

"Oh?" It was news to her that she'd be doing this on a semi-frequent basis.

"Hmm, I'll have to show it to you when you leave." She didn't have any eyes for the room she'd found herself in, she only had eyes for him. He wasn't in a hurry to show her that exit either as he drew her closer to him. "You have no idea how torturous it's been these last few days, and especially these last few hours. You look absolutely ravishing."

"Thank you, while you were present, you looked quite dashing yourself. It was no wonder all the girls were eying you up."

"There was only one pair of eyes I cared about." His hands were at her hips and his thumbs were making slow circular motions that were driving her to distraction.

"Oh, who was that?" She asked, her voice was husky and she didn't recognize her own voice.

His lips quirked up. "I think you know."

She thought for sure he was going to kiss her, she was more than ready for that kiss but he took a step back and handed her a glass. "Another toast?"

"The first one. To a new year and new beginnings."

"I'm here to drink to that." She raised her glass and her eyes locked onto his as they both took a sip. "To spending the year with the people we love."

Another raise and another sip. They were inches apart but she could still feel the heat from him opposed to the cool draft from the window. They stood there until their drinks were finished and once they were, she really felt like the past was behind her. That starting now and today that her future would be different. Her decision to be here was paramount to how her heart laid. She was here and this is where she wanted to be. Whatever happened in the future she'd manage to make things work, he was her choice. The slate was wiped clean and their path bright and shining like a beacon. She felt all the unease and hurt and guilt lift off of her and knew that this she could enter with a clear conscious.

When his glass was finished as well she took it and turned to set it on the table. Her dress caught the light and it moved like shimmering waves of blue and green. She felt his arms go around her as he came up to her from behind. "You have never looked more out of place." Darien groaned. "You look like a Miami girl in that dress, sunny hair and waves on the beach."

"That's the reason I bought the dress. But does that mean I don't belong and should leave?" She thought for a brief second she was wrong about what she thought today meant for them, and what he'd been saying.

His hands followed the waves of her body, his mouth scorching her skin as he trailed his lips up her shoulder and along the side of her neck. She tilted her head to allow him more access, she could feel his comforting heat. His sure powerful hands caressing her body. "Definitely not what I'm saying. You're like a rare jewel in a mountain of gray dust. I'm just happy to have found you here. Though whoever decided to bring you here must have fought with you, it'd be like dragging a child kicking and screaming away from its favorite toy."

"I make my home wherever I want."

"And you do it well. You brighten up a place and shed it of its drab reticence and spice it up."

Serena laughed. "I can't be the only one to be blamed for that. There wasn't much to start with and I only added a bit to it. More people have made this a place to be, a place where there are diverse personality and looks."

"They were always here and could never make me stay. Perhaps it was sweet revenge that had brought you in to my life. A thorn to my rose. An anchor to my sails." She held herself a hair tighter, waiting for the boom to drop, waiting for him to make some remark about her failure to do it completely, but he traced the bone behind her ear with his lips. "But I didn't realize you were just making it better. Whatever the cause, I'm just glad that I was there for it, that it was my car you were following. I think it might have been worse if things hadn't played out like they had. Its highly unlikely that I would have ever gotten to Florida. I would continue on life's path never knowing what I was missing if you never came to Montana. I'm glad I've stayed, you've opened my eyes to all that I've been missing. I can't thank you enough for the joy you've brought to it."

She felt herself melting and soon felt her dress follow the way her thoughts were going... down. She stepped out of the pool at her feet and into his waiting arms. She kicked off her heels and he lifted her up, her legs wrapped around his waist as he carried her to his bed. He let her slide down the length of his body and followed her onto it. This was right, this is where she was always supposed to be, with him, no matter where they were. All other thoughts and worries disappeared when she was with him. There was nothing else that was important.

* * *

EAN: So two things, 1, since I took a lot out of this chapter to make it run smoother and less crazy the parts that got taken out are going into the next one which is also going to have to be edited. That's all right because I couldn't really just make it into chapter 25 part B then it definitely wouldn't have flowed. Seeing as how this chapter got edited fairly quickly I have hope for that one as well. 2, Serena's dress... think Uli on Project Runway's final collection during her first season. Something like that but less flowery.


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

AN: _This _ is a long chapter. A really long chapter. So be aware and set aside enough time to read it. :)

She heard a beep go off from somewhere and her eyes opened to try and figure out what the sound was or where it had come from. Looking around she realized it wasn't her room that she was in and sought to find the clock. She must have fallen asleep. Darien slumbered on next to her, this was his childhood home, nothing would probably bother him now.

It was already three in the morning, the clock had just changed over. Her eyes widened in shock, she had to get up and get going. People would be rapidly disappearing from the party soon and would make her escape harder. How was she going to get back to her room unnoticed?

Serena slid out of bed and scooped up her dress and underwear. She was struggling with the zipper when Darien finally roused. "Going so soon?"

"Yeah, I have to get back, maybe even bypass the party altogether and get down to the apartment."

"I thought you'd be able to stay awhile longer."

"Not without clothes, I can't." Serena was still fumbling with the zipper.

Darien got out of bed in all his naked gloriousness and gently pushed her hand aside. She would have rather have him push her dress aside instead of zipping her up. "What did you tell Andrew?"

"That I was going to our room for awhile. Knowing him he's still partying so it shouldn't be a problem." Darien's mouth pressed against her shoulder blade and she gasped a little in renewed awareness that never quite left her completely. "I really would like to stay."

"Then do."

"I can't, not now." Her hands found his and she turned to face him. "Maybe tomorrow I can come here when I have day clothes."

"You'll be busy, I'll be busy. It's a busy day, we're putting up the entire town again and their kids."

"But not until about 11 or so. We'll have time in the morning."

He gave her a small kiss. "We'll have plenty of time in the future, relax. And besides, if you're not sleeping until noon then you'll be helping with the setup and I'll see you there." It wasn't until after he had her confirmation that he guided her towards the second entrance to his rooms. And when he opened the door for her, she could see why this one was a bit more private. It lead into a long hallway with no doors and it curved around to the right some ways off.

She turned to him with something driving her that she couldn't be positive about the source and gripped his bare neck, digging her fingers into the hair at his nape and bringing him down to her level so she could give him a proper kiss. Then she was leaving without letting him say a word. It was better this way and would have been harder to go slow. Her shoes were in her hand and she ran down the hall, making the turn easily and found another door at the end, it lead to several more doors but she didn't think any of them went to the bedrooms, they probably all emptied out into separate hallways and sections of the house like this one did.

Serena put her shoes back on and ventured further out, trying to figure out where she was. When she got into the main hallway by the grand entrance she found that it was conveniently located for her. If she hadn't gone the wrong way she could avoid the main portion altogether and was only a few halls away from her own apartments. It might have been used as a servant's entrance or escape plan in the past, not expecting the owners to pass the servants for any purpose. Maybe Amy's or Raye's or the master suite exited out towards the back lot, a quick dash to their cars or sleighs or whatnot if danger were to befall those living here. Not that where they were now was anything like the East Coast or Europe but there could still be threats, she reckoned.

She turned on the ball of her foot to go back the way she came and then passed that hallway, pleased that she now knew where it was. "Serena?"

Serena turned to see Amy there and she smiled somewhat blandly back. "Amy?"

"What are you doing?"

"I'm just heading back towards my room." That wasn't a lie and it wouldn't sound like one either.

"But I thought Andrew said you were going to bed hours ago."

"Silly man, no I was only going down to get something and then I came back. I've been so wrapped up with other conversations I didn't manage to return to his side. We must have kept missing each other."

"That's probably why I haven't seen you." Amy shook her head. "Ok then, have a pleasant sleep."

"Thanks. You too, don't stay up too late." Serena gave Amy a quick hug goodnight before disappearing down the hallway once more. Her heart was pounding like a stampede. How many times was she going to run into trouble tonight?

She let herself into the room and heard the door latch shut behind her. She groaned as she realized she'd let it attach wrong. Oh well, she'd have to get Andrew to do it in the morning. She paused by his door, listening to see if he was awake yet, but she heard nothing inside so she figured he was asleep or not back yet. She wasn't the least concerned about him wondering where she'd been, he'd probably come in and say goodnight to her through the door, fully expecting that she was sleeping herself and would let her continue doing so. He wouldn't be any wiser about her being out, and if he wondered about the door in the morning, she'd have to come up with some sort of explanation, but she'd think about it then. Right now she just needed to crawl into bed and sleep. She was exhausted. This kind of thing took a lot out of a person.

She let the dress drop at her feet and thought about leaving it, in the end she picked it up and draped it over the chair. She didn't bother with night clothes and crawled into the warmly outfitted bed, drawing the comforter around her and snuggled into it, she was out in seconds.

–

In the morning, Serena woke up and got breakfast ready. She was waiting for the pancakes to finish when she heard some struggling with the door. Andrew managed to get it open with a bit of force involved and he looked mostly awake. "Where'd you go?" She asked, assuming that he'd left and then had closed the door wrong once more without knowing it.

"Go?" Andrew asked running a hand through his hair. "Oh, I went up to see how things were going." He was looking good in a pair of jeans and a green sweater that played nicely with his eyes.

"I didn't hear you come in last night, I must have been sound asleep." She didn't hear him leave either, but she was a pretty heavy sleeper. She was trying to see if he checked in on her last night and found her missing.

"I was pretty quiet. I would have checked on you, but I didn't want to disturb you." He ruffled her hair as he passed her towards the coffee that was still burbling. "How are you doing this morning kid? You disappeared kind of early."

"Oh, I came back, but I suppose I didn't stay as long as you."

"You went back to the party?"

"Yeah, why do you seem so surprised?"

"I just didn't see you is all." Andrew was looking at her, as if waiting for her to say something or react somehow, but she didn't know how she should.

"Like I told Amy last night, we must have just kept missing each other." Serena figured that would cover her on a few bases and Andrew nodded.

"Yeah, I suppose that's how it was." Andrew finished pouring himself a cup and added some creamer. He made her one the exact same way. They made a good fit on paper at least, liking coffee the same way, him knowing how to make hers. It was too bad, really. She could understand Michelangelo's point now, especially when she wasn't so angry about it. Everything was there except that most important factor to make it all work.

"Anything exciting that I missed?"

"No, just a few drinks and some singing. Michelangelo called your name hoping to drag you up on stage to do some karaoke but you weren't back yet or were in a different room. He's got a really horrible singing voice."

Serena laughed. "So I guess he doesn't do _everything _effortlessly."

"Yep, I was starting to worry he was perfect." Andrew beamed at her when she set a plate down in front of him. "Thanks Sere, these look amazing."

"It's no problem." Serena put another few on her plate and came round to eat at the counter with him. "Best hangover food too."

"And do you have one?"

"Surprisingly, no." It might have something to do with the fact she hadn't drank that much and she slept a fair amount last night, albeit in two different beds. "You?"

"Maybe just a small one." Andrew dug in with relish and she watched him eat for awhile, maybe she should have made him more. She started in on hers and she was slower, but not by a noticeable amount.

–

Serena dressed like Andrew, in jeans and a sweater. She was roped into a few of the festivities and she was glad she never took her boots off as some of the kids pulled her into a snowball fight. She lost and she had bruises forming that could prove it. Thankfully the one near her eye was slowly fading away and wasn't near as noticeable anymore.

At one point she took a spill, but it wasn't anyone's fault but her own. She was running trying to avoid some of the missiles flying at her and her foot caught a drain-pipe that moved water away from the roof and gutters to another location and she landed flat on her back. For a minute she was lost to the outside world as memories filtered back in.

It wasn't much but it at least answered some of her burning questions about what really happened with Darien behind the bar and how she'd gotten a bruise on her calf. That had been her own fault too. It was an exposed pipe that was clearly visible and she'd been upset and slightly intoxicated not to mention whatever the poison had done to her cognitive functioning and she'd spun on her heel and walked straight into the pipe. Darien hadn't noticed because she kept going, only sparing a small wince and then forgetting about it as she stomped away. Well he must have noticed, he'd said something, hadn't he about her walk later in the week and he'd followed her back in and then to her room towards the end of the night. He just didn't say anything _then._ At least not to her.

Well that answered that and a few other things that she'd have to dwell on later, people were getting curious when she didn't get up right away so she sat up and threw a snowball at whoever wasn't on her team, pretending it was intentional. The fight continued but she was out shortly, again. When they wanted to start up their third game, she declined and headed back in for some apple cider and a cookie. There was other food, but the cookie appealed the most. She was nibbling on it when she was joined at her table. She looked up and smiled at Michelangelo. "I hear we have a singer in our midst, would you mind giving me an encore?"

"Hahaha." Michelangelo rubbed at his temple. "Very funny. That was not my intention but when you stood me up, I had to improvise. They have anything here stronger than coffee?"

"You'd know, you helped plan this."

"I suppose I could find it somewhere." Michelangelo left her side for awhile, probably to go investigate whether or not they had anything left from last night.

In his place, Andrew eventually found her and joined her. He had a cup of hot chocolate in his hand and a plate for her to share. It had a lot of her favorites and he handed her a fork. "You're the best." She grinned at him and took the fork with relish.

"I am only being nice because I saw how many hits you'd taken out there." He was chuckling. "They wanted you to come join them for a hockey game, I said you'd probably wait it out until they played some broom ball."

"I don't even know what that is." Serena responded honestly. That's not something they ever played in their state growing up, Michigan might have had it, if she'd paid attention to club sports and Florida definitely didn't do that. "Is that sort of like lacrosse?"

"Not at all." Andrew tugged on her hair. "How can you not know these things after being with me for so long? It's more like hockey than anything else, but on your feet."

"Ah, that sounds like an adventure to learn, count me in." Serena thought it was a splendid idea and Andrew had suggested it. "You going to play as well?"

His eyes went unfocused as he looked over her shoulder. "Who is that?"

Serena turned to look, she'd never seen Andrew so flabbergasted by a woman before and she was curious to see who could rivet his attention in such a way. She blinked twice to clear her vision. If anyone thought _she _looked out of place in this town obviously hadn't been comparing her with this woman. She was absolutely stunning and wearing the most ridiculous dress. It was jaw-dropping and sophisticated, even for city people. She would have still stood out even in the most global cities.

"I- I'll go find out." She told Andrew drifting away from him without noticing. She wanted to know who this woman was for no other reason than curiosity. Or so she told herself. The woman was too mesmerizing to stay away and Serena had seen the direction the woman was intent of forging. People moved out of her way as she walked and she didn't break stride once. Her heavy mink coat was opened as she just came in from outside. The old fashion idea of the coat was paired well with the ultra-modern and sleek dress underneath.

It wasn't that she was especially curvy, Lita and Raye were far superior in that sense, in fact the woman was almost completely curve-less, which is why she could pull off the more daring look. She was model height and weight and had the most beautiful face Serena had ever seen. It was perfectly symmetrical and looked natural.

A snide voice, the city part of her, wondered if it was natural. But she quickly stomped that down. Serena looked away, so what? Somehow this random small town she'd never heard of managed to attract good looking people. But that was partly what it was known for, a place to get away from the media but still have a lot of the same perks they came to the mountains for. It catered to them, drew them in. The profile was slowly changing but Serena hoped not too drastically, it was still a place of rest and respite for people who just wanted to be left alone, like Michelangelo, for a little while. Yet it was a place that didn't promise all the comforts all the time. Things were like a throw back and this woman would not appreciate running into one of those issues.

As Serena got closer, she realized with a start that the woman had money. Not the typical rich with lots of it, but so much that she could throw hundreds down the toilet and never realize it was missing. The only reason Serena knew this was because the dress the woman was wearing was a signature piece and the only one in existence by the highest priced fashion designer in the world. He was nutty about his designs, hardly ever let them out of his sight, much less let anyone wear them that wasn't top tier themselves. What could this woman possibly be or do to get that much money?

Serena slipped along the space behind the columns, she had to find out. She didn't know why it was important, but it was. Serena practically had to run to keep up to her determined long strides.

Ah-ha! Shield sisters! Serena peaked her head around the column trying to overhear their conversation but she wasn't close enough. She tiptoed over to the next column and tried to remain hidden from Darien's view. "Who's that?" She asked, looking pointedly at the woman who spotted her prey and latched on. For a minute Serena's jealousy reared again, wanting to snap that he was off limits and that just because he was the most attractive man in the room didn't mean she could just make her way over and slid her hand up his arm like she belonged there. Why did all these women think they had a right to do so? Darien was talking with some people and he started in surprise at the woman's arrival but then he wrapped his arm around her waist and introduced her to the others.

Not that was something to be jealous about.

"Oh. That's Hina*." Amy shared and Raye nodded along.

"That was the girl that got away."

"Got away?" Serena asked, looking for more clarification. She didn't understand, she thought _Mia _was the one that got away.

"Mia was Darien's love, Hina was the woman he deluded and deduced that he was supposed to end up with. Never understood that decision. I would have gone after Mia at that point if I were him." Amy commented. Serena had seen Mia earlier with her husband and children and they were still a family unit off somewhere.

Serena barely heard the sisters talking. What had caught her attention was the tone change.

"I take it you don't like her?" How had she managed to stay afloat as her whole world crashed down around her. She must not have given herself away because Amy nodded. It was a small beacon of hope, if Amy didn't like her, it wouldn't bode well for the mystery woman. Right?

"I wouldn't go that far..." Raye chided her sister and Serena's hopes dashed. "As you well know she almost because your sister in law. If looks are anything to go by, it might still be a possibility."

"No." Amy denied. "I won't let him."

"You won't be able to stop him." Raye glanced over at Serena's confused face, but she was getting a picture of what was going on. "Hina and Darien were engaged two years ago. I'm not quite sure what happened, but it looks as if things are being worked out afterall. I didn't even know she was coming."

"Bethany must not have been able to get her claws in?" Serena recalled the look of pure malice on Bethany's face and she'd had no right to Darien.

"She tried, there's no way Bethany would have let this relationship stand, not until she'd gotten a chance at Darien herself. I told Darien perhaps the best thing to do was to sleep with her, and let her forget about him. But he refused and rightly so. She'd probably gloat about it and hold it over his head at every family event."

"Why don't you like her, Amy?" Serena felt her fingers digging into the column as Darien laughed with the two women he had been the most serious about in his entire life. Bethany didn't matter right now, what mattered was that Darien might be lost to her forever now that Hina had made her way back into his life. And he had lied to her, said there was never anyone serious in his life. She called a near marriage serious! Why were all these things showing up now, now that they were beginning a new year?

Amy shrugged. "No one thing, really. She's nice enough when you get beyond her cold shell. Darien always did like lost causes. But I guess the thing I don't like about her the most is that she doesn't honor family. She'd rather go to an exotic location for holidays instead of going home to family and she is based out of London and Tokyo. We'd never see Darien then." Amy scowled. "See how she didn't even say hello to us?"

"How did she even know Darien was here?" Raye questioned.

"The same way anyone knows where anyone is, they called them." Zolton input as he handed Amy a drink he had gone to get her, his was already half gone.

Jace had gone with him and gave Raye her water glass. "That's not how anyone talks to anyone anymore. It's all twitter and text messages."

"I for one don't care about any of that at the moment. I'll be happy when I can drink something other than water again."

"You can, just no caffeine or alcohol." Zolton reminded her yet again.

It was all well and great for them, but while they chatted, Serena felt like her feet were slowly sinking into the ground beneath her and thought that it was going too slow. She wished it would swallow her up already and then she wouldn't have to deal with this hurt in her heart. Darien had gone back to his model fiancee. He hadn't even mentioned her last night when he had a chance to come clean on all his past relationships. That put the breaks on her thoughts for her. What was she doing? She was assured in his love for her. She really was, he had proven it again last night, it was her that was crazy and vulnerable and self-doubting. He wanted her. She was the one who hadn't come clean the moment she'd had a chance. She took a steadying breath. There had been an excuse for Mia last night and she was sure there'd be an excuse for this Hina woman today, _if_ she decided to bring it up. Darien didn't need a hissy fit from Serena.

"Isn't that Hina Kusaka?" Jace finally noticed the most gorgeous creature in the room, but she supposed compared to the mother of his child, she might not compete. They weren't similar at all, but they were more similar than Serena and the other women. Her hair was a dark brown, but not quite the black that Raye and Amy had. Her eyes were brown too, she had managed to see those before they latched onto Darien. It was the large doe eyed look that was absolutely adorable even if on the wrong face it would border on too large. She was exotic looking too, a nice caramel color that set off her eyes and hair nicely.

"Yeah." Amy answered unimpressed with the name or the woman behind it.

"No really, _the _Hina Kusaka? As in sole heiress to all of the big money makers? Oil, technology, and Hollywood?"

"You can't be the sole heiress to all those things, or any of them." Amy pointed out and she was saying what Serena was thinking.

"She can. She has enough money to buy all of it and is powerful enough to do so." Jace shook his head. "And instead, do you know what she does with most of her time when she's not building up her fortunate even more?"

"Jet setting around the world?" Serena asked a little breathlessly, hoping for something to make this woman fallible.

"Nope, she's setting up Doctors without Borders locations in places that would be too dangerous to travel to normally and brokering agreements to leave the doctors alone since they're non-partial. She's also created orphanages and group homes for parentless children to go to in countries they'd probably starve in the street otherwise." Jace was getting excited to tell about her accomplishments while it just hit Serena with more blows. It sounds like Darien had found and lost the perfect woman. A woman who had made her own parents' life possible.

"Sounds like a saint." Amy narrowed her eyes. "Still I don't like her."

"Have you actually ever met her?" The only one besides Raye who could get away with that question, asked.

"No." Amy responded glumly. "But that's only because we invited them out here several times but she was always too busy to do so."

"Maybe you should give her a chance." Zolton pressed and Amy scowled at him, but it couldn't last long, not when it was Zolton she was scowling at.

"I'd still prefer him with Mia." Amy said dog-headedly in this moment.

"Mia's married and there's no way he'd ever go after a married woman." Raye nudged in there. "You know that, it's part of what makes him so great, such a strong moral compass."

Serena felt faint at that notion, she'd ruined Raye's pride in her brother if she ever found out the most current truth. She started to slip back into the shadows between the columns and the wall and to return to Andrew before she could harm any of the Shields with her taint.

Amy cut her off. "Come on, let's go talk to them." Amy grabbed Serena's hand and dragged her and Zolton towards the two that were being spoken about. "It's about time I meet her." How was it that Serena kept getting dragged into this? Did they subconsciously know that she would hate it, needed it or at least thought she did? Or were they using her as a shield against something they didn't like?

Raye and Jace decided to join them as well, it was only natural Serena supposed but she wanted to melt into a puddle of distress, she did _not _want to be here. But she looked up into Darien's eyes and she couldn't help the half smile that lifted her lips, suppose it wouldn't be so bad with him around. It bolstered her confidence instantly and tuned into the meeting.

"Hello, we're Darien's sisters. It's an honor to finally meet you." Amy's tone was sickly sweet and Serena noted that she didn't hug or give the woman any cheek kisses. Her attitude was decidedly frosty and Serena couldn't help but note she probably would have gotten further in the woman's life if she had tried her usual approach.

"I thought he only had two sisters." Hina responded bored not bothering to return the sentiments. Her eyes flickered between the three women in front of her and her brow lifted in mockery at Serena. "Suppose he wouldn't want to mention the adopted one. I wouldn't, I could never think of such as a true sister." Then her eyes moved onto the men and she found them lacking and turned her attention back to Darien.

"We didn't expect you here. You must have flown very late last night to have not had time to change." Raye tried since Amy had not gotten anywhere. Serena didn't understand how such a _compassionate woman_ like Hina was in charge of so many charities and championed so many programs. Maybe she didn't see these people here on her level or someone she needed to help so instantly got put into the worthless to bother pile?

Hina laughed and though it was pretty it was grating on the nerves. "Oh dear, you really are back water aren't you? There is no way I would have left my party in Paris for this. As for how I'm dressed, this is my casual one. I wouldn't be caught dead in something important for a little place like this, no matter who might be here." Her eyes flickered towards the back and she smiled. "I might be persuaded otherwise certain people." Then she shook her head and glanced at Darien. "No probably not. He holds nothing compared to you."

Serena thought Hina was quite rude and couldn't believe that Darien was letting all of this pass so easily. She was insulting his sisters for goodness sake! She looked to him for confirmation and was annoyed that he seemed amused and his eyes flickered from her to his sisters and the grin widened. Serena followed his gaze and could see Raye heating up beneath her skin readying for a fight. Was it his intention to let Hina dig herself a hole? Why would he want that?

"This is Jace and Zolton and Serena." Darien finally spoke since they came over. "They all live in the lodge."

Hina snorted and any ladylike attitude that was grudgingly given went down the drain by that action. "Living in a lodge? Are you all hourly employees? Do you not make enough to make your own home while you're here in a town this size? I'm just surprised they haven't put you up in worker apartments and let you interact with the guests as more than your station."

Serena bit her lips to keep herself from informing her exactly what she could do with her opinions. Thankfully Amy and her cooler head prevailed. "Jace is Raye's boyfriend, Zolton is a doctor and Serena is our newest media consultant. She's been pushing us to expand our client base and the last I checked, sales for February look to be higher than they have ever been. She and her husband have been a god-sent gift to keeping this place going this year. For the first time in a long time we're legitimately in the black." She beamed at her brother as if telling him- take that! (and your money too).

"Were you behind that two for one valentine's day thing?" Whatever was behind those words, it wasn't impressed.

"I was." Serena managed to keep her jaw from dropping when Hina said it, there was no way the woman could do something so _plebeian_. "But really they flatter me too much, I'm not that spectacular at it. I try to do what I can where I can."

"She's just being modest. I'd hire her to head any of my websites if she were available." Darien wrapped his arm around her waist and rested his hand on her hip. Her eyes moved up to his and he managed to hide the chuckle at her dirty look.

"That's something." Hina slid her hand up his chest. "As you like to manage everything yourself. It leaves very little time for me. Perhaps you could steal her away from your sisters, and then focus your energy where it should be."

"I don't think I could do that. My sisters love having her work for them and having her around. Serena would need to be at my side every day otherwise and I don't think her husband would appreciate that." She also tried, unsuccessfully to pry herself free from Darien, she didn't think it fair for him to touch her while he had his girlfriend at his hip and all over him.

"Oh, best not then, she'd be bored stiff if she had to sit in on your meetings. I tried that once, if you'd recall, I'm pretty sure you cut that meeting short to go to another one, a private one." She slipped her fingers under one of the lapels of his jacket. "Besides, as you've said, she has a husband and he probably wouldn't appreciate that." Hina's eyes slid over to her and despite looking so innocent with that bambi look, she cast Serena a look Serena was pretty sure was clearly a 'back off' notion. "And where is this famed husband of yours? If I was a married woman, I wouldn't let my husband leave my side, for fear of a more attractive female catching his eye."

"That's a good question. I should probably go find him. He sent me off for something and being the little wife I should probably get it to him before he starts to worry about me." She blinked innocently at Hina and saw the woman's eyes narrowing. She ignored the two couples surrounding her and pulled away from all of them. "Got to go."

She wanted to question Darien on Hina, how long he had known her, why it'd break apart, why it'd happen in the first place. She didn't care about Mia, that only mattered in so far as the strangeness of them both showing up on the same 24 hours and pushing it so far into Serena's face, but holidays happened to make things like that happen and he was finally back for a huge party. Hina might have followed him to every location she was sure he was at and it was Mia's home town, eventually she'd run into Darien again if the two collided by accident. That's all it really was. She wanted to know if Hina was going to stick around for awhile and what he'd do about it. But she didn't ask, didn't feel like she had a right, even now to question him when she wanted to keep deflecting all questions about herself. And she wasn't sure that even when they were alone if she had the right to ask him such things.

Serena found herself back with Andrew and Michelangelo had joined him too and the two were chatting. Andrew seemed to have forgotten all about the woman in designer wear. Michelangelo wasn't even interested, not even with the come-hither look Hina had been broadcasting even as she wrapped herself around Darien.

It annoyed Serena but she trusted him. She didn't know why he was letting her do that, but it was probably for a good enough reason.

"You know it." Andrew's commented and then looked back to Serena when he realized she joined them again. "Looks like Darien's got a new girlfriend."

Serena's head twisted around to see Hina wrapped around Darien's arm and he didn't do anything to shake her off. In fact he seemed to be leading her and talking to her quite intimately. Amy and Raye must have found excuses out the conversation they'd initiated as well. "Old, actually. They used to be engaged."

"Oh, perhaps they'll get back together. They seem like a nice looking couple. She's beautiful."

"Yeah, she is." Serena agreed, having a hard time turning away from that potential train wreck. Serena talked with the other two at length while they ate. Michelangelo bowed out for a little while to cap off his 'hair of the dog' and she didn't even worry about his drinking habits. She hadn't seen him drink so much before. In fact at the moment she wouldn't have minded some herself.

She thought about going to find Michelangelo to add some to her own drink while she continued chatting with Andrew but only changed her mind when she saw a black head disappear through another door and she thought she recognized the woman. "If you'll excuse me-"

"Aren't you going to play broom ball?" She had forgotten about that, seemed it got set back an hour as most people came in to eat and warm up.

"I will, but I'm going to go for a sleigh ride first." Serena got to her feet and attempted to follow the woman.

"But that's the wrong- way." Andrew gave in when she appeared not to be listening at all. Michelangelo came back out with his spiked coffee and he looked around for Serena. "She's gone man, and you've never had a chance."

Michelangelo grinned back at Andrew. "I knew that the moment I set eyes on her. She's already taken." And for whatever reason Andrew had an odd feeling that Michelangelo wasn't saying everything Andrew thought he was. That was a strange man. Interesting but strange. He was slowly realizing why Serena liked him so much, he wasn't so much the pretty boy as he lead people on to believe.

Serena followed the woman through the doors but it lead into a hallway with many off shoots and she didn't even know where to begin looking. This was the part of the lodge for guests and she'd never spent a lot of time over here. She turned around and went back to the main area, giving the guests their privacy from one more pair of eyes.

But as she headed back that way she realized she wanted to do as she said and headed towards the sleigh rides. It was just her luck that Darien and Hina were already in line to board. She thought twice about going but Nashashuk had spotted her and was greeting her loudly and she couldn't flee.

"Serena! All alone? Where's that rascal Andrew? I should give him hell for leaving such a pretty lady unattended on such a romantic outing." Nashashuk jumped down and handed her a fur lined blanket. "Never mind, you'll ride up front with me." Before she could protest he'd already lifted her up onto the wood planks that were lined with fur blankets and then he was seeing to the rest about being seated.

Darien's eyes were on her face as she looked around, slightly embarrassed by the hoo-ha. She hadn't been following them if that's what he thought. She returned his look and stared mulishly back at him, daring him to believe it. Serena was surprised when a smile cracked over his features and he gave her a wink. Then Hina was demanding his full attention again but she noticed the crinkling of his blue eyes before he looked away. He was only entertained by her, nothing negative and she was slowly realizing that she didn't have to be so defensive with him anymore. He truly meant it all and she felt her reserve crumbling. It was January 1st after all and she had made a resolution to let it all pan out the way it should, that their differences were washed away with the change of years. It was a new beginning for them, the way it should have been from the start, even if it was filled with obstacles and issues. That anger and the arguments wouldn't be there anymore. She felt her heart lighten with giddiness. She was with the one she loved and he was hers despite all appearances.

Nashashuk joined her shortly after closing up the steps and he put it under his feet and set the horses into motion. They went in a different direction than she'd ever been before and Nashashuk shared with her more stories from his past than she had learned in the time she'd been there. The ride was a lot longer than she had realized it would be and she was enjoying every moment of it. Nashashuk had an interesting life and it was rich with his history of his ancestors.

"And here is where my first wife was buried." He motioned to a tree among hundreds of others. "These are the woods of my people. Each tree is already decided upon before you are born. My son lays by his mother."

"I didn't know you were married before. You're so young to have two wives."

"That is true in the Western mentality, but we married at sixteen. The first child did not make it, but the ones following did."

"How many children do you have?" Was this why Nashashuk didn't appear to be on the resort property at all times like Lita was? Was there special rules to marrying outside of the tribe, and that Lita couldn't come here?

"I have three. Two survived. They're ten and twelve now. They live beyond the valley in the mountains in the way of the old people. I see them on the weekends. Lita sometimes comes with, depending on whether or not she is needed in the kitchen. It is too far to live there. My children are happiest with their grandparents. They get spoiled by them. They look upon me as an older brother and I do not fault them for this. It is better that way. I was too young to have children and too young to know better. I am still in their lives and we know it is not the truth but we still all love one another and accept these things."

"Wow. That is quite a life story. How long after losing your first wife did you meet Lita?"

"I have known Lita for a long time. But she was not of my tribe and was not a viable option for a first marriage. Sometimes it is better to go outside the tribe, but it is very few and one every two generations if they're lucky. I tried to fit their standards and life was miserable for all involved. It is better this way. It would have been better still if I had been brave enough to leave the tribe right away. But then I would not have had my children and Lita loves them so."

Serena wasn't sure if she could ask this follow up question, or if it was prying too much into a life he had deemed to share. Where was the line she could cross? "You don't have to answer this, but do you and Lita think you'll be starting another family some day?"

"I already have two families. I have Lita and all those at the resort and then I have my other family. But if you are asking about children, perhaps, some day when I feel like I am responsible enough to care for a tiny life that cannot do anything on its own. Lita is so... amazing, like nothing could really knock her down, a tiny form created between the two of us seems almost unreal."

"Everything always works out for the better. I'm sure one day you'll know if its right or not."

"Perhaps, one day." Nashashuk finished a curve and headed back towards the lodge. The couples behind them were talking and not paying any heed to their conversation. When Nashashuk started humming the melody to a few Christmas carols, it caught on with the people behind them and more humming ensued. She was surprised nobody started singing. But perhaps, in time they would but then again it was already after the holiday, so maybe it was just because it was in his head.

The ride seemed too short for Serena as she waited for everyone else to get down and then Nashashuk came to her to help her with the big drop. "It was a pleasure talking with you. Thank you for opening up to me about your life."

"It isn't every day that I get someone who will listen. I shall see you around for many more moons. Now go give that rascal a kiss, he's standing at the door like a lost puppy" He then went on to change the horses out so he could do the next load of passengers. He could probably take three different groups out before changing the horses. She didn't know how many he'd gone on today. Or better yet how many he'd end up having when the day was through.

She thought about what he'd said. Many more moons. She'd like that but she didn't think it was possible.

She hadn't realized as she turned away that what he's said was about Andrew and she was startled to see him waiting there. She came up to him and he wrapped her in a hug. "Ready to go play broomball?"

"Ready!" She infused as much brightness and energy as she could and about an hour and a half later she was sore and a tired she hadn't known for a long time. That game was intense! Especially with the people who were playing and she learned the rules quickly to avoid being laid out flat on her back.

That Mina too, man she was a player! "Sorry." The other blond said sheepishly as she helped Serena back up onto her feet after another knock down. "I am a bit competitive."

"Just a bit." Serena agreed rubbing her butt. "This is definitely your sport."

"Oh, but it's not!" Mina was surprised by her own words and laughed. "I mean I played a lot of volleyball in high school. It paved the way for college even. Without it, I probably wouldn't have gone."

"I thought you were a model." As they talked they headed inside while Andrew stayed out to play another round. They found a table with hot chocolate and each made a cup.

"I was. But only temporarily. When competing with girls like Hina, Heidi and Tyra I'd never have gotten front page. I know my limits." There was an emphasis on know. But it was such a Mina emphasis that it didn't seem weird at all. "I decided to transfer my energies into other areas. While modeling I was taking courses and playing volleyball. The schedules competed with each other and I had to drop one. So I dropped modeling but only after I met Michelangelo and brought him out here." Mina shrugged. "And the rest is history. I suppose I owe him gratitude though, he helped me figure out the direction I wanted to go in."

"Yeah, he is pretty special, isn't he?" Serena swirled her spoon around, it tinked along the edges before she tried to knock off the rest of the liquid. Her eyes found him talking with Yasmine and making huge motions with his hands. Whatever they were talking about it was pretty intense and required animations and gestures. The girl was eating it up.

"A great friend." Mina agreed bobbing her head.

"A really great friend." Serena needed to find some way to show him that she thought so and that everything between them was just fine.

Mina's eyes slid to her on that reflective note. "He would make some woman very happy."

"If only we could find some woman good enough for him."

Mina's lips quirked up on the side and there was an almost devilish glint in her eyes. "Oh, challenge accepted!"

Serena laughed and took a sip out of her hot chocolate. It was still too hot and it burned on the way down her throat but she didn't complain, it was the way she liked it. Though it was bad for the vocals. Mina could look all she wanted but there wasn't a woman in town that he'd met that looked good on paper and would fit him personality wise. She really wished she knew someone that he hadn't met yet that she approved of.

When she'd talked to Molly yesterday, it surprised her that the girl had found a boyfriend. Not the finding bit, but who it was. She'd known the guy, he was someone she worked with. He was always kept in the back and ignored by everyone. She was happy he'd found someone as great as Molly but that caused problems because Molly would have been her go-to for setting someone up on a blind date with. She hoped Molly would be very happy with Melvin, he was a nice guy underneath his exterior odd-ball-ness. He had a good heart and that's something Molly really needed. If Serena had bad luck with guys, Molly had worse.

So now she was back to square one. Who could possibly in her long list of acquaintances be nearly good enough for a man that had helped her though a lot of hard moments since she'd been here? Nobody, not a single one. She was sure she was missing an obvious answer but she couldn't think of it at the moment. Serena was sure the answer would come to her at the oddest moment.

Andrew joined them shortly after. "Game over so soon?"

"No, but I couldn't stand being away from the woman I love for so long again." He wrapped an arm around both Serena and Mina's waists. "Now what are we drinking? Hot chocolate or hot chocolate with wine?"

"Just hot chocolate, silly." Serena felt a little self-conscious with that bold statement though they'd done worse in public. She blushed slightly as a lot of people overheard his comment. She looked away when her eyes met another pair of blue ones, telling her something she didn't want to think about and then landed on Darien enter with Hina. Well he couldn't feel betrayed about it when he come waltzing in with another woman! But still as Serena looked away, finding nowhere else to look but down, she felt bad about it anyway.

"I wouldn't mind spicing it up, but that was for last night and today we've got kids involved. Not very professional." Mina whispered noticing that they were drawing attention.

"Anyway, that was just a thought. What do you say to a board game? Michelangelo? Want to join us? We need another person to make it even. You know, round out the couples." Serena wanted to elbow him in the gut, the way he was going on about things, didn't he know anything about discrepancy? Oh wait, this was Andrew she was thinking about... he was the worst. She remembered when Seth was hitting on her junior year after a play they'd done together, Andrew had just walked right up to him and told him there wasn't a way it would happen, even if he wished upon every falling star from then to eternity. She just wasn't interested. Seth had walked away embarrassed and Serena had dug her heel into his foot. Usually he was such a nice guy except when it came to defending her or standing up for her when he thought she couldn't. She'd apologized to Seth after that but things were never the same. She felt bad but also couldn't help but be relieved.

Hopefully a repeat wasn't happening now. But then again Michelangelo could handle himself and he was well aware of it and could probably handle Andrew too. He'd put him in his place and she might have to worry about him saying too much in retaliation, though Michelangelo was a lot better at keeping secrets.

But Michelangelo did join them, and just as they were setting up, Darien and Hina came over. "Mind if we join you, we come in a pair, so there's no need to find another to make it a couple."

Serena's lips twitched but not in only a good way, she was torn for feeling hurt by his use of her fear and feeling amused by his dig in at Andrew. Hina was looking at it skeptically. "A board game, Darien do we really have to?"

"Yes." Darien sat down and took out a piece to add to the board. "If you don't want to, you can always find me someone else who'll gladly take your place." That shut Hina up and she took the spot next to him instantly.

The game was fun, it was a competitive game so it pleased Mina and it got to knock others out and they had to crawl their way back up again, so it pleased Serena. She took joy in knocking a few of them out, mostly Hina, but when she was without pieces, she had to pick on other people and Andrew was her next victim. He had chosen to be on Mina's team so Serena was happy to go after him with all her effort. Michelangelo supported her in it and they left Darien alone unless he was a risk by winning.

They had to unfortunately quit as they were pulled away on other duties before there was a winner but at the time Serena and Michelangelo were clearly in the lead. Though another hand or two and they'd have been kicked back to the starting position.

"Well that was fun." Mina grinned as she stood up, pulling her jeans up and her shirt down, she looked like she enjoyed that nearly as much as she enjoyed playing broomball. She enjoyed so much of what life had to offer. Serena liked that about her, Serena liked that a lot. If she'd had a brother she'd have made him a great wife and a great addition to her family. Though she knew there was more that went on in a marriage than just being liked by the sister.

"I enjoyed it." Darien shook the hands of the men first and then Mina's and lingered slightly longer with Serena but not noticeably by those who weren't looking for it. That meant that two others saw. Hina wrapped her arm around Darien's and pulled him away.

"Come on, I saw the cutest kid just down the hall. She had the frilliest bows in her hair." Hina gave a half wave over her shoulder as they left.

"She's not very nice or friendly is she?" Michelangelo commented a moment later.

"She doesn't have to be, she's a giant in the industry." Mina returned. "She only has to be nice to the right people and none of those people are here today."

"What'd'ya mean? I'm here." Michelangelo puffed out his chest. "I'm a huge name and a huge contributor to a lot of charities."

"Not the ones she's interested in." Mina shook her head.

Serena shrugged, knowing the real reason she was the ice queen, it was all a perceived competition she had for Darien's interest with Serena. "I overheard Amy saying she warms up to a person."

Andrew rolled his eyes. "Who wants someone it takes forever to get to know. How do you know that's the real them and that they won't go back to being distant when you've gotten through?"

"You'd rather have someone warm and friendly off the bat that stays that way." Mina smiled up at him. "Good thing you've married someone just like that."

"I don't know how you can say that when I threatened to walk out on you after the first sentence you'd said." Serena was sorry she'd presented herself so rudely.

"Ah, that's forgive-able. I did kind of jump you." Mina waved away her concern. "I don't think many would be ready for tea and a sit down right after that."

Michelangelo laughed. "Mina you do have a way with people, don't you? I don't think I've heard of a single first meeting you've had with someone that was... conventional." His silver blue eyes turned to Serena when he saw that she was confused. "She sat on my lap the first time I met her. Couldn't forget her face after that kind of introduction."

"Who wants to be forgotten? Certainly not I. Besides, you were my meal ticket to the big leagues if things had panned out. Too bad I quit before you were cash-able."

Michelangelo shook his head. "You've made a better choice by coming here."

"I don't know, you'd have made a pretty good model." Andrew added. "I see the both of you up there making it big."

"That's different. They could pass as sisters and sisters make a pretty good hook."

"At any rate, I wasn't happy doing that, I prefer being active and this gives me that as well as other things to do." Mina cut in before there could be an argument about it or at the very least a debate. "Now it's time to go do that."

Serena was going to go play hockey with some of the kids when Andrew stopped her. "You'd probably better remain in here. The sun's good for you but you're not used to the cold, you've got a higher susceptibility to getting frostbite if you're out for too long. You haven't built up a tolerance to it even when you've been running in and out of buildings for the last few months. You were never out there for more than an hour or so at the most."

"But-"

"No, you'd better listen to him. We Northern states don't get nearly as much sun as you're used to in Florida, especially in the winter time." Michelangelo teased but he was mostly serious too.

"But I haven't lived in Florida all my life and I've lived in Michigan, that's pretty far North too."

"Yeah but you went there from after living in Delaware. It wasn't as big of a difference. You've been living in Florida now for several years. If I recall you didn't even finish school in Michigan before transferring to Florida. You're not used to this anymore. We should really get you one of those sun machines." Andrew argued.

Serena rolled her eyes. "If I know that part of science like I think I do, I recall that its for people who live so far north that they don't get enough sun exposure most of the year, year round. If that's so, then you guys need it far more than I do. I at least came from a sunny location and have gotten enough of it over time that it might have built up in my system. Whereas you don't have it all and need it. Besides, my skin color soaks up more of the sun's rays than yours does."

"I'm pretty sure nothing that you just said is accurate and you'd made it all up just to get your way. I'd drag Zolt over here to tell you so, but then we'd have to listen to that again." Andrew commented dryly. "Just stay inside."

"No." Serena pulled on her coat once more. "I'm going to go play hockey with some of the towns people. I've played broomball, now its time to go play hockey."

"You guys need to stop worrying over her so much. She's a grown adult and she can take care of herself. I've seen it too many times recently to argue with her. If she gets into a pickle she either gets out of it herself or we'll rescue her." Darien's voice cut across any arguments they might have made.

Serena nodded, pleased that Darien took her side. "Andrew you've never been one to worry about me this much, what's going on?"

"It's only because you're not used to this environment. Deleware wasn't nearly so cold and neither was Michigan, no matter what you say. We had all those lakes to keep you warmer. I know you can handle certain things, hell, I've said it a million times, if I was drowning, there's nobody I'd think better than you at rescuing me, but this isn't tropical Florida."

"And neither were all those rescue missions. The ocean is pretty cold if you get far enough out into it. Trust me Andrew, a little hockey won't hurt."

"It might if it messes up your pretty face." Michelangelo pointed out with a lifted brow.

"They're not going to play that rough. It's a town game and they'll take it easier on me. Mina's not playing afterall." They had to give her that and while she liked being cared for by so many big men, it was a little stifling at times too. They could trust her and her decisions. They hadn't _really_ led her wrong so far. Maybe took her down a wrong path for awhile but it only made further decisions more concrete and sure.

"Hold on." Darien caught her and and spun her back towards him. For a minute she wasn't sure what he was going to do, but then he was tugging off her scarf. She hadn't worn it to broomball, she didn't know why she'd put it on now. "This is better." Then he was pulling something over her head and it rested around her neck and lower face well, it was warm and the fabric felt like it would remove the moisture. "It's like a scarf but without the ends that can strangle you."

She smiled up at him, she couldn't help it if it was a bit more than a thankful smile. She couldn't stop her eyes from glittering in appreciation. "Thanks. You'll get it back."

"Oh I know that, I'm not worried. But I will keep your scarf as collateral." It hadn't been the one he gave her, it was actually Andrew's, but she liked the colors.

"Duly noted." She gave a mini salute to the boys and made a run for it before they could stop her with another stupid excuse. They must think her a china doll. She knew she was short but she wasn't overly small. She had a dancer's body and to be a dancer you had to be strong. She was all of that.

"You do know that scarf's mine, don't you?" Andrew held out a hand. "She took it from my coat without thinking."

Darien laughed and gave it back. "I was only teasing her. She'd have gotten it back." Hina's arms came around his stomach and his muscles tightened in response, but not in a good way, not in the way they would if it was Serena wrapping her arms around him like that. She hadn't yet, there hadn't been a chance for it to occur. When Hina did it, it only inspired a negative reaction. But he held perfectly still, the two of them needed to have a talk but she kept pulling him into a group area so they couldn't. He took her hands and stepped out from within them, he turned and pulled her away with him once more. He thought he'd gotten rid of her temporarily by involving his sisters but that hadn't worked. Perhaps their talk needed to be now. "See you guys later." He called out, trying not to be rude.

He turned to Hina and she turned those doe eyes on him, looking very much like bambi who'd just lost his mother. No words could come out as he grappled with finding the right thing to say. "Oh Darien, its so romantic out here." She spun away from him and took in the sight. Then she spun back towards him and stepped closer. She was tall enough that he didn't have to bend to kiss her. He'd had liked that when they were together. But he didn't mind it at all with Serena. "This is a wonderful place to bring me." Then she was kissing him.

Somewhere, vaguely he recognized that they'd _somehow _managed to get onto the balcony over looking the lake where they were all playing hockey. He groaned as he knew Hina had planned it that way to make sure Serena saw. She had been threatened by Serena even though she shouldn't be. Hina was out of his life for good. There was no need to feel threatened if she didn't have him in the first place. This was just going to make matters so much more incredibly difficult to navigate with Serena. She was going to surely see this kiss that he still hadn't ended and he took Hina's hand and pulled her away from him.

"What are you doing?"

"Rekindling our relationship. I was a fool for breaking off the engagement."

"You were right to do so. You were right for the reasons you'd said too. Our relationship wasn't going to work out, it was too difficult to do so with the schedules we had."

"Oh but none of that matters anymore." Hina managed to free one hand and started to make patterns on his chest. "I'm willing to work on it with you." Her large brown eyes were slowly sucking him in.

"No." He managed to pull away from her spell. "No." He put her hand to her side. "You broke it off with me."

"But I'm sorry about it. You can come with me. You don't need to stay at your desk anymore, not if you're able to be here for so long. I came looking for you in D.C. But they'd said you were gone. If you can leave D.C. For an extended amount of time, surely you can travel with me."

"I'm not leaving my job for you. My life is in D.C., that's where I'll be when I return there when the winter season is through and I'm done helping out. I'm not going to travel with you, it won't make any sense to do so."

"No, but you'd stay behind for that cheat? I don't get you Darien, you've changed. You're no longer the man I used to be with. What happened to all your promises and morals?" Hina pushed away from him. "The man I used to know would never pant after a married woman the way you've been panting after her. What use is it anyway? She's married. Are you going to accept her into your bed with those rings on her finger?" Hina lifted her eyes to his face and they widened. "You've _already-_?" She was shaking her head. "Wow. Well there's no reason for her to leave her marriage now is there? She's already gotten you hooked and has already gotten free milk from you. What'd be the point?" Hina laughed. "Two men, priceless! And the way she strings that hunk around." Hina gave a delicious shudder. "Hmm... I'd marry you, and if you didn't mind, I'd have him on the side."

Darien's back straightened and he seemed to grown. "Hina... that's exactly why it wouldn't work between the two of us. You look at men as if they can be bought and sold like your shares. We're only commodities."

"Please. Your precious _Serena _is the same way if she's sleeping with you."

"Serena's not like that."

"She is too if she's stepping out on her marriage commitments. Wouldn't you be happier with a wife? I'd let you still sleep with her if you wanted to. As long as you didn't get her pregnant."

Darien's nostrils let out a loud amount of air. "You're not listening." Hina pulled out a long and elegant cigarette and he made a face as she lit it. "Serena is not like that."

"How is she so different?"

"She doesn't speak about people the way you do. She doesn't assign them a price and arrange them to the best of her advantage. She looks at people as if they were just that, people. People with lives and stories to tell and she remembers and tries to treat each of them with the respect and use that knowledge to better relate to them.

Hina sighed dramatically. "How exhausting! I only remember things about people if it'll get me ahead in life and even then small details are such a bore."

"Which is why you two are in completely different worlds." Darien waved the smoke away that came from her. He didn't think it attractive in the least.

"Harrumph." She leaned against the balcony and looked at him with bored eyes. "It might be small details, but at the end of the day she and I are alike at the core. What you've got to do is ask yourself why you're with someone you can never be _with_. And is she worth passing up on me?"

"I've already asked myself enough questions. I am satisfied with the answers I found. What I still can't understand is why I was ever with you to begin with. What was the draw?"

"I'm gorgeous." Hina answered easily but when Darien wasn't moved to add to it, knowing she was and still found that lacking in satisfaction, she continued. "But daddy made you who you are today. Without his guidance you'd have never gotten off your feet. You promised him you'd marry me someday. I'm calling in on that promise."

"I already made good on my promise, it was _you_ who broke it." Darien shook his head. "There is no way and nothing on this planet that would make me offer it a second time or accept the offer from you. I think you did me a favor by ending it."

"Be very careful in making me your enemy. I can destroy your little love's life. She will be in a pile of tears before I leave and I won't have to lift a finger against her. She won't be able to repair or pick up the pieces if I get through with her."

Darien was unmoved by the threats, or at least visually. He knew she could do something to harm Serena and there was nothing he could do to stop her. She had her fingers in places that he couldn't begin to fathom and now she knew about him and Serena's little escapades. Their trysts could be her downfall at least here. His sisters would not take kindly to the news, he had hope, now that they warmed up to Serena like no other previous employee in that regard that they wouldn't be so efficient in cutting her out of their employment or cold to her, but if Hina planted it right, they'd be furious enough that their nice shells would all but disappear. Both of them were nice people and had good kind hearts but they were calculating and rigid, there were parts of them that had been burnt and then frozen and they'd probably use those parts in firing Serena and Andrew. Darien didn't want Serena disappearing quite so soon out of his life, he'd battled with that conclusion when he first decided to stay, now he didn't want her to disappear at all.

"What do you want?"

"For you to marry me."

"No." Darien cut through that request right away, it wouldn't happen.

"Think about it, if your relationship with little sun-flower down there falls apart, you may yet come to the conclusion that I'm right and this will be a good union."

"Why do you want this wedding so much?" Darien asked, not out of curiosity's sake but because he thought it important.

"Don't worry about it, just remember the offer stands, unless I find someone better to take your place." Hina's eyes were sharp on his face and he couldn't look away. She'd always had that mesmerizing effect and it wasn't because her eyes were so beautiful to stare into, but because they were deep and fathomless. But he could see the ice crystals hanging on the edges like a pond about to freeze over. If she got any more, Hina-like, then he was sure they would.

"What do you want if you can't have that? What would it take for you to leave here and never bother me again?"

"It's only if you don't change your mind." Hina agreed. She came closer and she ran her fingers through his hair with the hand that still had the cigarette. The smell clung to her and he was sure it would cling to him as well. "I want you." Her eyes drifted down his physique. "I want your body and I want your child."

Darien would have gagged if he had more than his own air to gag on. "What?" He could barely speak after that announcement. There was no way.

"It's true, unfortunately." Hina sounded put out. "I of course would have never chosen children for myself, but daddy's going on and on about me having an heir or else I won't get the full inheritance. I suppose I don't _really _need it, but it wouldn't hurt my vast empire any to get it and have someone blood related to pass it onto when I'm older. It'd also make the next twenty to thirty years so much more bearable having to sit across from him at holidays. He did always really like you, and you're attractive enough. I suppose to please him even more would only benefit me. A child between us would be attractive, seeing as how the scars are environmental, not genetic." She ran a finger along one and Darien flinched back.

They were part of him and he didn't really see them any more, though others did. Serena noticed but hadn't even flinched at them, she'd taken him as a human and not at face value and not as a ruffian. She hadn't given an opinion but he doubted it'd be negative or at least intentionally negative. Hina's father had done the same. Apparently good manners skipped a generation in her family. "Some traits are genetic and I wouldn't want them compounded."

She caught his meaning but she was still eying his scars thoughtfully. "Surgery would have taken care of them and you would have been so much more attractive." She sighed and shrugged. "I hope I have a daughter. She's not as likely to get into physical fights and it'd be better to pass on my legacy to a girl. I'd hate to see all my hard work go to waste as a female way-paver. Look at all these generations that can aspire to be so much more because of me."

"At what cost?"

She mewed in response. "In a man you'd only have respect."

"In a man, I'd call the cops and press charges." Darien argued. "In a man, I'd punch for daring to suggest such a thing to a woman."

"Yet men have been doing it since the dawn of time." She clicked her tongue. "And they will continue doing it no matter who tries to change the world. They're part of it and they only respond to power by powerful people. I'm a powerful person and my child will be too."

"Not always the case of ab(ab)=ab2. Sometimes it equals C."

She lifted a brow. "It never equals C. You should go back and work on your algebra." She leaned forward and kissed his chin, just under his bottom lip. "You should think about it. I leave on the 3rd. Tell me your decision before then. If I don't like what I hear, then I will crash down the walls around that pretty head of hers."

She wasn't smart in threatening Serena, she would have done better in threatening him, but then again, it was less effective and without much success. With Serena he'd do anything to protect her and truthfully Hina couldn't destroy him in any regular fashion. He was a self-made man with a bit of help and reference from her father and he'd made good on everything he'd done since he set out into their world. He didn't know what Serena's personal life was like outside of this place and he didn't want this little oasis jeopardized.

Hina lifted her eyes to Darien before she left. "And I might throw Raye's little lover under the bus too as a bonus."

Now that one he did know the result with, a casual mention to the press could have some dire consequences for Jace. The stress could hurt Raye and the baby too, physically if not emotionally. Hina's threats weren't veiled in the slightest. He knew that if acted upon, it would cause disruption in everyone's life that he cared about. She put him in a very difficult position because he didn't want to cheat on Serena or destroy her trust but as Hina left, he didn't know if he could find a way out of it. He couldn't play upon Hina's softer side, she didn't have one and to even attempt it would only add fuel to her fire. He was lost and he sagged against the cold brick and stone of his old home, what used to be so safe feeling only brought him trouble now. His world was in complete chaos and it was only the first day of the year.

–

EAN:*These two were from PGSM, and since Mio (which was changed to Mia in this particular story) was a shadow of Beryl and fell in love with Endymion too, there's similar characteristics but not quite the same. As for Hina, I changed her character a little because it fit better for the story. (If you don't know already, which is possible, she's from the Live Action. I don't believe she's in any other version...)


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

AN: So... news... I've decided that chapters 25 through whatever I had written earlier, I think 34? Are all going under the same revampin chapters 25&26 have already. I'm not really changing anything plot wise or story wise, just rearranging and with rearranging comes rewrite to make it flow better. You'll be getting the chapters as they come and with hope that means _less _chapters. I thought over what I had written and decided I liked something better. It's been known to happen. Undressing Secrets is that way, Lapse in Time is that way and if I ever get around to it, Cactus Ambush is also that way. I'm sure there were others. At least this time its before I updated said chapters, right? That's not to say that I finished writing this story, just... making it more condensed.

AN2: AM9, yay! I love your reviews. They're so lengthy and make me think about things seriously. Thank you for being so positive! (Other reviewers, I love you too but AM's is something I'd like to address to all of you). Hina's character as you've read in chapter 26, I can see your point, however I think even that small amount you see her is a whole lot more fleshed out than she is in the PGSM. I hope nobody's really all that disappointed in her arrival. She fits this story in many ways.

AN3: Sorry guys, I thought I posted this document, but I guess I posted the wrong one not realizing I saved this in the wrong spot. Thanks for telling me!

* * *

Serena stopped dead in her tracks, or in this case, her skates switched quickly to a hockey stop and she didn't even notice, she could feel her heart bottoming out as she watched Hina kiss Darien. It wasn't any old friendship kiss, or thanks for the memories, it was a passionate kiss. She could understand Darien's feelings now about each time Andrew kissed her or that jerk from the welcome party but that was before. That was when they'd only had one night between them and they didn't really know each other.

This was now, this was after he'd told her he loved her. After they'd had months to get to know one another and learn to trust and respect each other. Having had to get over so many hurtles to get here hadn't been easy, it had been down right painful at times. Yet none of that compared to the pain she was feeling right now.

She didn't even notice when Hadley pulled her away from being flattened by an incoming skater. "Experience speaking, injury-wise, it's better to move out of the way of people looking to check. Though with the way you moved just now, I'm not sure if you'd have been a board when you landed or jelly. Jelly would have probably been the best case scenario." A beat, then. "Serena, are you all right?"

"Huh?" Serena finally caught on that she was being spoken to and she looked startled at the taller woman. "What?"

"Are you ok? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"A ghost might have been easier to deal with." She skated towards the edge of the rink.

"Hey, where are you going?" Hadley looked how she felt.

"I'm sorry but I'm no longer in the mood to play hockey. It'd just be better all around if I got out of the way." She gave her excuse and practically ran but she had to first change into her boots. She handed over the skates, they weren't hers, and tried to bypass the party. She was numb and she couldn't feel much more than her broken heart.

Andrew snagged her though before she could get too far. "That was brilliant skating you did out there." It really wasn't but he wasn't really looking at her either. He had been talking to a man and Michelangelo in one of the hallways. Serena wanted to ignore all of them and continue on her way.

"Is this Serena?" The man asked giving a once over of her face and then looking back to Andrew.

"Sure is. Serena this is the reporter that Raye and Amy thought we should speak to. He's the one that wants to do a piece on the students."

"Drew..." She tried to warn but was ignored.

"I know you haven't decided on it yet, but at least let me get your faces in print and a few statements about the one that you just had. It will look good next to the students we've managed to talk to. They've only said good things about the three of you and it'll give the region a heads up for next time if you do decide."

Serena couldn't say no as the men around her all seemed so excited about it. The man had a pocket sized digital camera that he pulled out and managed a few shots and she forced a smile onto her lips. There were a few pictures of the three of them and then of her and Andrew, one with her ringed hand on his arm and another where their left hands were interlaced to show off both sets of rings. She managed to stay together through those photos but almost lost her capability when the journalist wanted her to stand on her own for a few shots. She managed a few poses and smiles. This wasn't totally alien to her after all. She knew how to make a good picture even when she felt like crying.

The only good thing about this impromptu meeting that she managed to slip away from after giving a few comments and thanking the man for his time, it gave her a chance to breathe. She thought too in that space of time. Partly about how Raye and Amy sandbagged her with this knowing full well she hadn't been excited about the prospect, but that was probably for the better. She didn't have time to work up her nerves about the upcoming issue. It also resolved her decision about what she was going to do with Darien.

If Hina wanted him, well that was fine. She could want him all she wanted but she wasn't going to get him. Not without a major fight on her hands at least. She turned directions as she left the small group of men. She wasn't going to slink off like a hurt puppy unsure what hit her. She might not have a lot in her arsenal but she had enough to cause a big war and she'd probably win because she had the most important thing on her side: Darien's love.

Hina might have been the one to break things off between them but he had moved on. She'd take whatever blows came her way. She wasn't about to lose Darien. This might not have been her first time in a serious relationship either but it would be the first time she actually stood up to fight for the man. She wouldn't roll over and let Hina have him, it wasn't even his choice.

Serena headed for where she had last seen the two of them. Hina had just been lighting a cigarette. Maybe they'd still be there. If they weren't, she'd track them down and find them. She'd even play dirty if it came to that.

She was half right. She noticed as she let herself onto the balcony that it was devoid of people, except for the man who had his face in his hands and his back, quite literally, against a wall. She removed her gloves and left them on the table next to the door. She went forward and her hands were warm against his cold flesh. Serena pulled his hands away and he eyed her cautiously.

It took him several heart beats to speak and he was still looking at her, waiting for her to start but she didn't. He also looked afraid that she was just a figment of his imagination and that if he breathed too hard she'd disappear. "I didn't think you'd come up here after that."

It wasn't exactly the opening line she was expecting but she could work with that. She decided right now her best course of action would be understanding. "Did you want her to kiss you?"

"No, of course not, how could you even possibly assume such a thing?" Well at least the question got his fight back, anything was better than that dejected, all's ending stance she'd found him in.

"I haven't assumed it." She reassured. "But I had to ask. What happened?"

Darien breathed in relief. "I was afraid you'd tell me to go screw myself after that."

"That's a stupid thing to think. After all we've been through." She added as an excuse for her earlier words, a kind of offering.

He pushed against the wall, bringing himself closer to her, but he didn't kiss her like she knew he wanted to. He couldn't touch her, not in such a public location, even if it was probably harder to see them so far from the edge. Any moment someone could come out and see them. He looped his hand around one of hers and pulled her back inside. She remembered to grab her gloves before they moved too far away. He took her back towards the bedroom he had used the night before. The room that they had just begun to make memories in.

There was a fire burning in the main room and he pushed her down into the couch in front of it, having not said anything on the whole way here, she was starting to feel a little nervous. Doubt began to seep into her bones, wondering if there was more to the story than she'd seen; which was Hina kissed Darien despite his agreement to it. "Darien-?"

"We've got a problem." He announced gravely.

Serena lifted her eyes to him, they widened slightly on their own. "What sort of problem?"

"Hina's figured out what there is between us." Darien rubbed his hands together, attempting to warm them and Serena wrapped her hands around his, trying to help. She wanted to laugh, that wasn't a horrible problem, not the way he was making it sound at least. She tugged him down to her side and he sat heavily, his tone lower still. "She's threatened to tell my sisters about it. She's agreed not to, for a price."

"You don't have to pay this price. She's rich enough without your help, or so everyone says." Serena shrugged. "What does she want money for anyway?"

Darien shook his head. She wanted to snap at him to stop being so melodramatic, it couldn't be that bad could it? She wasn't asking him to kill anyone was she? "It's not money and money can't buy it. She wants my child."

Serena did laugh this time, it had surprised her enough that she couldn't help it. "What are we in? A fairytale? Give me your first born or I'll kill you! Please! Besides, you don't have a child to give her."

"She wants to make one with me." Darien turned his hands so he had captured hers instead and held them tight when she bolted to her feet, she couldn't go anywhere.

"That's crazy!" Serena shook in anger. "What if it doesn't stick the first time, would she keep coming back for more? You don't have to give her that. I'm willing to face the consequences of my actions. I just need time, time to explain it to Andrew so he doesn't get blindsided by this." She hadn't thought that far but sure, why not? Anything was better than giving into this woman's crazy ideas.

"Wait." Darien pulled her onto his knee. "You've given me an idea. What if I convinced her to do in-vitro?"

Serena rested her forehead against his shoulder and she shook it. "Do you really want to know that she has a child that is partly yours somewhere and you have no say in the matter?" Serena lifted her head and looked him in the eye. What she saw there told her everything she needed to know. "Thought not. You'd want to marry the mother of any child you have out there. Would you want to marry her?"

"Even if I did, that ship has passed and she wouldn't want to marry me, despite her saying otherwise." Darien rubbed his thumb against her jaw when it tightened with that further knowledge. "I don't even want to _think_ about her, it would be a non-issue if it weren't for this."

"I've already told you." Serena took a deep breath. "Did you love her? Is this why she's doing it, because she loves you so much and she doesn't want things to end?"

"When I told you long ago that there hasn't been anyone serious in my life, that was a truth. Even though I was engaged to her, it was more a marriage of convenience than anything else. Her father was a big part of my career and he'd dropped hints about seeing the two of us married. She had looked upon it as a business arrangement until she called it off a few months in. I never did learn why she did that, but I was only relieved by the news. I always thought Bethany got to her."

Serena rolled her eyes. "We've definitely got issues, who would have thought that there'd be so much drama in a few months?" Hopefully things would only settle down from here.

"Certainly not I." Darien leaned back in his seat. "Though I have to say, this would help end some of them, wouldn't it?" A crease appeared in his forehead. "I'm not going to go through with it. I will figure a way out, ok? She's given me until the 3rd. If and only if I can't convince her to leave here without getting what she wants, I'll inform you and we'll tell Andrew together, all right?"

Serena nodded. "You have my permission to deny Hina of using your body for her nefarious schemes."

Darien laughed though it wasn't much of a laughing matter. He hadn't told Serena that Hina had threatened to do a lot worse. He'd shield her from the worst of it once they sorted out his family. He wouldn't let anything harm Serena, certainly not a woman who meant nothing to him.

Serena curled up against his chest and he held her. He kissed the top of her head and then stared into the fire. All he wanted to do right now was hold her and hold onto that wayward promise she'd made him. She'd tell Andrew. She wasn't opposed to giving everything up for him, he'd always hoped so but hadn't pressed. She was going to do it of her own free will. He ignored the niggling voice of reason in the back of his head, the one that was a lot louder whenever Serena was involved. It was trying to tell him that right now wasn't of her own free will either, that she was just trapped and had been backed into a corner with only one way out.

Two days, it wasn't a lot of time to dig up whatever he could about Hina and try to convince her that he wasn't part of her plans, but he'd do the best he could. He wanted this issue smothered before he and Serena could go forward. He wanted her free of all pressures and to come to him willingly.

–

It was only a short half hour later that Serena crawled off Dairen's lap and gave him a kiss on the cheek before slipping out through the back door. Darien rose and went out the main door and ran into Raye who was coming up for a nap. She smothered a yawn. "Hey big bro."

"Raye." He greeted and moved down the hall towards her and opened the door for her.

"That isn't more than 5 pounds." She grumbled.

"No but I'm your big brother, it's my job to be over-protective." He teased and she snorted, as if he'd ever been that a day in his life. She probably would have said it out loud too if she wasn't so tired.

"This damn pregnancy isn't going to end soon enough. It's havoc on all parts of my life. Can't drink what I want, can't sleep when I want, can't eat what I want and can't even use the bathroom at any normal rate."

"There's only a few months left." He offered in support.

"Yeah months where I just keep getting bigger and bigger and the problems just multiply. I swear there's no end in sight. A few months might have been quick at other points in my life but this will be the longest few months of my life."

"Then remember that next time you want to get pregnant again."

"You're in a fine state." Raye grumbled. "Can't you be a good big brother and be nice to me?" She rubbed the small of her back.

"How's this for being nice? At least you no longer have morning sickness."

It caused a small chuckle from Raye. "Yeah all right. That at least is a benefit. I can't tell you how much though I'm jealous of you guys. I want to get back out there on my board. It's how Jace and I actually met. We were on the lift together."

"I never knew that." Darien followed Raye in, the call to D.C. could wait a few more minutes. He realized just how much he didn't know about his own sister. He knew she boarded, that wasn't the issue. He had just been so opposed to Jace the whole time, though he had cooled in the last week or so. Darien had just assumed Jace had hit on her when she was behind the front desk or something.

"Sure thing. I hadn't even known he was staying here. In fact, I don't think he did." She frowned as if trying to remember and then she shook her head sheepishly. "Too tired to recall exactly. Anyway I think he was just up for the day from Jackson Hole and was going to go back. He rearranged his whole schedule for me, decided this place was even better. He didn't even know I owned the lodge when we met. I thought he was just being a smart-ass when he asked me if I was staying here."

"Sounds like he had an instant connection with you." Darien watched as Raye just laid on top of the comforter not even bothering to turn it down and snuggle in. Apparently this was just a nap. She wrapped her arms around her pillow.

"Yeah." She agreed. "It was definitely something. He waited for an entire three dates before he even tried to kiss me." Her lips quirked up. "But he just grabs Serena for a quick one to throw off a reporter. She's not bad. I like her spunk."

"Think you'll like her if she sticks around?"

"Sure thing. Even alone she's great." Raye smiled sleepily. "Think you could take over for Andrew for the next couple of days? I'm sending him up to Helena. If not, I guess I could ask Jace, it'd be a nice treat for the students to have him."

"Jace boards." Darien responded dryly but he only got a slight shrug in response. "Yes, I can take over for Andrew." Perhaps that was for the best. It got him out of Hina's sight too for a few hours a day.

"Thanks, perhaps you aren't such a failure at your job after-all. Though I guess Jace has to help out anyway, he's got to take Mina's shifts."

"I would have laid Jace out flat if I had met him before you got pregnant." He thought about that, would he have done so if he'd known how much of a gentleman Jace had been? "But you have picked a pretty ok guy."

But Raye was sound asleep and it caused a smile to creep up Darien's lips. He stroked his sister's hair back from her face and then backed out of the room, closing the door with a soft click behind him.

A full couple of days without Andrew in the way? Now that was something else. His grin only grew wider.

–

It was the third. It was upon them far sooner than Serena felt entirely comfortable with. She felt nauseated just thinking about what was going to happen. She hadn't seen Andrew, he'd made a statement and then was gone within minutes of saying it. She didn't even have time to process that he would be out of town before he was.

Serena kept waiting for something to happen. She jumped every time she saw one of the Shield sisters. Amy and Raye though continued treating her like they normally did, with the exception that Raye seemed to like her once more with no qualifications. Something had happened, something had eased that recent bout of distrust right out of her.

For awhile there it seemed like Raye thought that something wasn't right in Andrew-Serena land. Now, once more, Raye seemed oblivious and wrapped up in her own thoughts. Serena was thankful and knew she should probably spend _extra _time with the Shield sisters, try to worm further into their good graces but she couldn't handle the pressure. She was bound to give herself away if she did so. Besides if they didn't like her now, then they never would.

It was amazing that they hadn't suspected or caught on. Darien and her snuck off often enough during the last few days. It wasn't even always that well thought out or planned. Or even that well hidden. She couldn't help it though, she always found herself giggling as she ran off with him to some unoccupied room or his own bedroom or stayed 'late' at his ranch, ie, early morning. They probably shouldn't have done all of this, but if it was going to be their last few days as undiscovered lovers they were going to take every moment they could before they were outed and glared at for being in even the same room together.

She wasn't stupid, she knew that as soon as it got out there'd be glares at her just for existing. She'd be cast into the bad-guy role and things might only get worse for her then they already were. If that was the case, then she'd have to go back to Florida. She wouldn't be caught dead in Montana. She would even steal Andrew's truck and drive herself the whole way back if she had to. The faster the better. She wouldn't even want to go to Delaware, too many difficult things to maneuver out there too. Not to mention his family.

Since nothing happened that morning when she woke up, she decided the best course of action while Andrew was still out of town was to go about her day like normal. That meant she was now in the studio with Michelangelo and twenty students.

Michelangelo noticed the tension in her shoulders but pretended to ignore it as they worked on teaching the students lifts. They might have worked on choreographing another dance but at the moment it was probably better to put that on a back burner. She knew the tension though wasn't good for the dance, it caused her to not extend her lines or miss a step and even to not jump as high but she was on edge and couldn't relax.

It didn't help when halfway through the lesson Hina let herself into the studio to 'watch'. Serena could have kicked her out, wanted to, but thought twice about it. Hina didn't say anything the whole time, she was actually quite pleasant when she requested to sit in on the lesson. Serena almost asked if this was some kind of twin switch on her but she was pretty sure Hina didn't have a twin.

Finally she was dressed in something casual. The whole time Hina had been around it had been more rich looking dresses for just day wear. Serena was all for dressing nicely and looking expensive but without the cost and to appropriately fit the environment. Though while casual today, she still looked out of this world debt-forming to try and keep up. Serena also couldn't help the small thrill of jealousy that coursed through her for a moment at the woman's expertly showcased figure.

However while having no waist of her own, Serena wouldn't change her body, she liked it well enough and Darien liked it too. She didn't need to be bone thin like that woman. She looked away from the long legs set out intentionally in front of Hina to showcase them the best. The black pant had only a straight cut with maybe the barest hint of flair. There was either a metallic or leather sheen to the otherwise cotton garment and just the fact that Serena was unsure meant it was designed that way for a second look and further inspection. Her height was only added to by the leather black ankle boots underneath with a two inch heel. Also adding to her height and long length was the brown jacket that hit at her ankles in the best possible spot. She had set beside her a leather purse that was the perfect color in between the brown of her coat and the black of her pants. She even had a matching page-boy cap on over her messy curled brown hair as if suggesting that despite looking impeccable, she had just done something naughty.

Serena had seen sunglasses somewhere too but they were missing now that the woman was inside. She'd probably seen it when the woman was driving her fancy car. The woman had everything, why did she have to try and take Darien away from her? Oops, oh yeah, the woman _had _Darien first. If she'd really wanted a baby, couldn't she have asked for one then?

And Serena had been itching all week to slap the woman for even suggesting such a thing. The only thing keeping her hand from completing the task was because Darien had warned her not to go up against Hina; not for fear of her physical safety, but because he didn't want to jeopardize any chances he had of convincing her otherwise. If Serena antagonized Hina then that would greatly reduce in possibility and she'd insist on it out of purely malicious spite. Though there was some of that in there too. Hina claimed property and believed it was still hers even after she'd given it up and time had passed. That was the worst kind of spoiled brat.

Serena was expecting something, some kind of goading or obvious remark but no, Hina just sat there and watched all that was put on in front of her. Serena didn't want this to be some kind of personal show though none of it was really organize into numbers. She just wanted to go about her day and hoped it ended with some sort of reasonable, containable end. Something she could walk away from and be satisfied.

At the end of the lesson, Hina stood up and smiled at everyone. "Thank you so very much for allowing me to view your work. It was most informative and I enjoyed it. You are all doing a great job." Then she walked out.

Serena almost screamed in frustration as she understood exactly what Hina had planned by that. Ooh she was good, Serena would give her credit. Not saying anything was worse than if she had!

All the students filed out shortly after with goodbyes and thanks for the day. Serena and Michelangelo were the last ones out but he only gave her a pitying smile and hoped it was reassuring. Which it was not.

She said a short goodbye to Michelangelo, not even bothering to ask him for coffee before bolting out of the studio. She wasn't sure what she wanted or where she was going, but she wasn't in the mood for those kinds of looks or words meant to be reassuring. The only thing that could reassure her at this point was seeing the back of Hina's head once and for all.

Now she was forced to stand there in the hallway that nobody really used or knew about leading to Darien's rooms. Hina was destined to leave in another two hours and so she'd have to get it over and done with by now or else her deadline would have passed.

Serena hadn't said one word of it to Andrew, not even when they spoke on the phone. She didn't want to worry him, he wasn't there and hopefully she could mop up some of the fallout before he got back. It surprised Serena that Darien spent so much time with her these days too but he kept promising her that his best men were on it and would be able to get further in D.C. then he'd be able to get here. He was like minded in spending as much time with her while things were still 'simple'.

Standing there was lonely and heart hurting. She couldn't help but imagine a thousand of things they could be doing in there, talking about. It was only her trust in Darien that kept her from going absolutely insane and kicking in the door to tear Hina's hair out.

Then the door opened. She looked up with hopeful eyes.

–

Darien opened the door to the woman waiting on the other side of it.

"Hina." He greeted coolly as he let her in.

She turned to him once she was inside, reaching for his belt buckle. "All right, let's get on with it. The sooner its over, the better." He remembered her saying somewhere along the lines that he was one of the best she'd had, but his hurt pride was not what was at stake right now. He had to cut the woman off before things went too far and he hurt _her_ pride and she wouldn't look passed it.

"Wait. I need to talk to you first." He stilled her hands.

"We really don't need to talk to make a baby." Hina teased. "Unless you're the woman these days."

He ignored her comments, he always had some kind of connection with women before he took them to bed. He didn't believe in hooking up with someone when you didn't even know their name. Even then he'd rather get to know them first. Serena had been the only one he'd had such an instant connection with. Thoughts of her gave him further strength against Hina who was kissing his neck, trying to seduce him with what she knew about him. "Why are you doing this?"

"I've already given you my reasons-"

"I am not interested in the technical aspect. I need to know why you've come after me now, after almost four years that we've been apart. Why drop everything you're doing to come seek me out here, a place you'd never been interested in going to, and with absolutely no preamble. You just showed up and thought you could take up right from where you left off. What happened to spur you to do this, and do not tell me it was your father. Your father would have been just as happy with an adopted child as long as there was someone in your life." As soon as he finally managed to shut his mouth he knew he asked way too many questions but he'd wanted to distract her.

"That's not as true as you would like to imagine. You don't need to know the whys or how comes of it. All you need to do is preform." She gazed coolly at him. "Now do what I came here for you to do, and then I can leave you for a month or so. If you don't hear from me, the deed is done and we're all the happier for it."

"That's so very clinical of you."

"Have you left some sperm at a clinic somewhere?" She looked surprised. "If you have, then just give me the name of the place and we can leave this mess behind us and I can go there instead."

"That's not what I meant and you know it."

"God you do have to be the girl in this, don't you?" Hina huffed. "Is this just because I'm so powerful or is it because that's the role you always take and I'd never noticed?"

"Being faithful to one person is a role fulfilled only by females?" Darien lifted a brow in derision.

"Not these days. Even women don't have to be faithful anymore."

"That's a very low opinion of society and a disturbing one in particular in regards to what you might teach any child you have."

"Well that's just a thing we'll have to discover in time." She smiled and her top lip curled back to show one of her eye teeth. "But first we have to make a baby..."

"Why do you have to come in here and ruin my life over this?" Darien took a step back when she made a grab for him again.

She laughed and it was a painful laugh. "Ruin _your_ life? Your life was already ruined the moment you slept with a married woman!"

"I don't think it is." But he could tell that something was seriously wrong, she was hiding something.

"Then you're fooling yourself. Married partners _don't_ leave their spouses for the one they're having an affair with." She put her hands on her linen covered hips. "Now are we doing this or not? I can go right across the hall and bang on your sisters' doors."

Darien took her hands in his and looked her straight in the eye. "Who hurt you so badly that you came all the way out here for me? You'd never in a million years have stooped to this otherwise. I'd like to believe that's true. I'd like to think that I knew you well enough to know that. You're just doing this to get back at him."

Hina's eyes warred with his several ticks of the second hand before her shoulders suddenly sagged as she sniffled back some tears. "There is no man, hasn't been since you. Because of you in fact."

"We were never in love." He said gently, watching her and waiting for her to get to the point.

"No, but no other man will look at me after so public of a dumping I gave you. Men think that if they were to date me and things were to get serious then I'd do to them what I did to you. Since they don't want to give me that leverage, they don't give me anything. I'm so lonely."

"What does this have to do with you coming here?" He prodded still not understanding any of the connections and he usually understood her so well. In another life he might have been her male equivalent but he had siblings to keep him in check. She was an only child, but more than that, she was an only child with more money than her family could ever spend.

"I want to prove them all wrong, show them that you've forgiven me and took me back. I figured I'd throw myself into the role of victim if it appeared as if you left me this time out of spite and with consequences to our actions." Hina's eyes watered and she pushed them back. "I'm so lonely. If men will still treat me like a leper after that, well... at least I'll have a child who can't leave me for 18 years."

Darien took a step forward and reached up to run his hand along her face, his heart breaking for her. Tears always got him and Hina was especially vulnerable after being so tough all the time. "Well-"

He'd gotten too close. He realized her trap when she snagged his belt loops to drag his hips forward. "That's what you want right? Some sob story? I gave you one. Will it due? It'll have to because I'm not going to just open up about my private life when you ask. That would have never seen me through in the business world. You're here to do a job and that's it. We don't even need to get fully undressed, just the basics will do."

"So there is something going on?" Darien was trying to push her hands away without hurting her but she was being pretty insistent. She managed to pop a few buttons from the adjacent hole.

"There's nothing and no one. Now shut up and kiss me!" A heartbeat while he manacled her wrists and pulled them away from his body. He was still trying to think of something to say to delay her, when she wretched a hand free and held it up between them. "Not on the lips."

That was it, that was the last stray. She was being far too crass and he was already trying to gently tell her no. He gave up on the gentle approach, he'd deal with the fallout as best he could. "I am not going to be your sperm donor in whatever technique you demand of me or come up with. I'm not procreating with you, you are unfit to be a parent and I pity any man who might get caught in your trap. You're like a black widow, you devour men that cross your path. You disgust me and I will not soil my line with the likes of you! No man in their right mind or of their own accord would disagree with me. You're a menace to society."

Hina laughed at his words. When she continued laughing he started to suspect something but he was not expecting the genuine tears to smart at her eyes or her face crumpling. Soon that laughter turned to sobs. He'd never seen her play act before but he caught on pretty quickly. He learned people's tells quickly and knew this one was real. Still though he kept his distance. She's already tricked him once in the last few minutes and he was weary of getting too close to her again. She was a hazard to everyone everywhere. "Hina?" He asked feeling guilty for being blunt. He couldn't even say he was cruel.

She scowled at him even as the tears continued falling. "Oh this is not because of your stupid words. I've heard far worse and far more explicit. Hell I've even heard damning stuff about myself in such flowery language that it told me in no uncertain terms, and cut deeply while doing so, how another felt about me."

"Then if its not what I said, why are you crying?" Darien ventured a step forward but still kept her at a distance.

She huffed a sigh of annoyance and tried to push the tear away. At best she could hope to keep them at bay with the rate they were falling now. "You have no right intruding onto my personal life." He stood there and his direct gaze would not look away. She had forgotten how unbending he could be. It was a softer side of him that she had never seen before that had greeted her when she came in. A softer side but not soft, and definitely not to be trifled with still. Only a fool would see his ease and relaxation while here as something to exploit.

She wasn't a fool. She had set out without knowing that side of him to do just this.

"You demand to ruin my own personal life but say I cannot know the motives that go behind it because that would be going into yours?" He shook his head. "And here I thought I had seen just how unreasonable some women could be."

Her emotions cracked further and she sagged onto the couch she was closest to. "I am in love with someone." She finally admitted. "He wants children, just not with me."

"So you decided to pack your holdall and fly out to Montana to get pregnant by another man? That seems like a logical step." He was thrown by just how illogical it was, especially for Hina. Hina was the most determined and logically vicious woman he'd ever met. Nothing would have been able to derail her.

"Put like that, it does seem rather silly of a plan. Yet I had in my head the notion that if I could get pregnant he might see me as a logical choice for his own children."

"He probably wouldn't like having to wait or raise another man's child as his own." Darien had seen only briefly from his men in D.C. that Hina was seeing someone but there wasn't a good grasp on who that someone was. He felt the man had to be very high profile.

"He is in the mindset that I wouldn't be able to go through with it. Further more he doesn't want a child to be the thing holding us together."

"Sounds like he's grasping at straws to get out of the relationship." Darien had never seen her taken in by a man. She'd always been in charge and could read men well, long before they did anything to get close enough to her to falter her steely underbelly. "Perhaps you shouldn't aim for him any longer. You'd be better off with a new man in your life."

"Oh." She seemed like she didn't realize what she'd said wrong. "He isn't like that. I know he'd stay for a child, and I'm sure he thinks that I'd stay so we could continue _trying _for one with no intention on my part to actually do so." Hina rolled her shoulders. "I'm trying to change this notion of me."

"So getting pregnant with my child would be what?" Darien asked dryly. "A life to be terminated when he finally accepts that you're serious about _getting _pregnant?"

"_No_." Hina retorted dryly and thankfully quickly. At least she wasn't so flippant about life as some people. "I'd carry it to term. You could probably have it back if you wanted." Ok, scratch that.

"Have you tried telling him that you were seriously ready to try for a child?" His sympathy for her was fast eroding. He was getting to the point he would like to chuck her out the window. He _thought_ he was done with her years ago.

Hina shrugged. "I did try but he's now seeing someone else."

Darien stared at her and she looked back at him innocently. "How long ago did this relationship end?"

"A month ago." She smiled at him slowly and fluttered her lashes. He shook his head, she was beautiful in a waif sort of way and with her large eyes she was deceptively innocent. He preferred Serena hands down over this, she was delicate looking but with a strong undertone and a personality to match. Hina was deceptively pretty but calculating all the way through. Nothing Hina did was without a purpose. That would be a hard life to live and hard to live up to all the time. "He doesn't love her."

"Then why is he seeing her?" Darien's eyes darted to her hands as she made an expressive gesture.

"Trying to make me jealous." Hina announced without an air of drama. She really believed that. "While we were together she's the one girl I mentioned to him that I can't stand. That's why he went straight to her afterward. Secretly though he wants me to come back to him."

"_You_ left him?" Darien didn't know how she managed to do it, she always got away with playing the victim. Probably because she didn't tell the whole story at first. Hell he was sure that even after she left with what she wanted and the other person was erroneously satisfied by what they got, she probably still didn't reveal everything. "Then isn't it a matter of you just saying sorry?"

The side of her mouth curled up. "I left him because if I didn't he'd have left me. He wanted a child and at the time I didn't. Thus I left him and retained the superior hand. Now I realize a child wouldn't be such a bad thing."

"Why not just go to a sperm bank?"

Her face scrunched up in disagreement to such an idea. "Because it's easier to just say I went back to my ex-fiance. That way at least he can be jealous with a real entity to hate. Besides, there's no way to know anything about the donor at one of those places. I know what I'm getting with you."

Darien shook his head. "Not happening Hina. Find some other way to work this out with him."

"Perhaps you're right." Hina sighed and sniffed away the rest of her tears. He took reluctant steps towards her and put his hands on her shoulders. She looked up at him and gave him a watery smile. "You always were a good guy Darien. I never deserved you and I regret ending things with you the way I did."

"Maybe you should direct your attentions elsewhere? Try and find someone who doesn't want kids. At least then you'll both be on the same page." And hopefully avoid this kind of situation in the future. He wanted to ask her why she was using such a soft touch on this man, if she wanted to marry him and have _his _babies, she could corner him like she had Darien. Except Darien had fought his way out of that corner and he didn't even need to go into feral tactics.

"Oh god!" She wailed and her head found a way to his shoulder. She was sobbing about how she didn't want another man, she loved the one she had let away. Hina never seemed small or vulnerable before, even now she was too tall, even for him, and she had to bend her knees to rest her head against him. He took her weight and patted awkwardly at her back as a wet patch grew where she touched him. She was practically blubbering and he wondered if she was even fit to be a mother. So far it didn't sound as if a child was what she wanted. She wanted the man, nothing more. He could be harsh and tell her he understood the other man's position. There was no way in knowing that if he was dead, she'd bother to even care for a child.

That would only be pouring rubbing alcohol onto her wounds and he wanted her _out,_ not crying more. "Then _show _him, but don't do something to make him jealous, show him another way. You're good at bold, so be bold, but with _him_."

Hina wiped at his shoulder, looking very much like she was considering his words. "I've made a big wet patch." She said self-consciously. "Sorry."

"It's fine." It was too, this was a side to Hina he'd never seen before. He was kind of honored to see it for the first time. Glad too that it hadn't happened while he was engaged to her. He might have put up a honor-bound fight otherwise, thinking she was just reacting on the raw rather than being truthful. That was exactly what he could use. "If bold doesn't work, show him this side of you and tell him the truth. If you were the one to walk away, then its time to share with him _everything_. Before things get more serious between the two of them." He added with good measure. He might not feel good about fostering Hina onto another man with weaker connections than himself but anything to get her out of his hair.

"Even then, if things here are to go by, it's not too late." Hina wrapped an arm around his waist and held tight, she was still pushing back her tears so he didn't try to escape, no matter how cruel her words.

"She and I are a completely different story. We've got a complicated one at best. But I have faith that things will work out in the end in my favor."

"You could speed that process along, tell her husband and he'll divorce her stat!"

Darien looked down at her in dismay. "Definitely not. I like him well enough and I don't want to put her through a long lengthy heart-breaking divorce with all the name calling that goes in with it."

"If she just rolls over like she's apparently good at, the proceedings will run a lot smoother." Hina's teeth gleamed white for an instant and he had a vision of her as a very sexy devil. He shook his head. "No? Oh well. You'll deal with it the way you want to." She stood up straight and ran a hand along his cheek. "You're a good man, Darien Shields, she's lucky to have you. Thank you for listening to me." Hina was kissing him once more and pushed him backwards onto the bed. He wasn't expecting the hard shove and so went down without bracing himself. He was still a little dazed as she crawled up on top of him and started pulling at the buttons on his shirt, breaking a few off in the process.

"Hey wait a second!" He caught her hands. "No! I thought we'd discussed this."

"No, I told you what I wanted and you managed to squeeze out more of me than I had intended, but I still intend to use this as a backup plan and squeeze out of you what I want." She kissed his neck and she knew the right spots, they'd been together for long enough to learn what he liked. For a moment he was weak against her and then he reaching for her arms to remove her from him but she was already off and musing up her hair. "Thanks Darien, that was perfect." She laughed as she skipped towards the second door, the one that led into a usually empty hallway. He couldn't believe that for even a moment he had seen a vulnerable side to her. She was the devil pure and simple.

–

Serena looked up as the door opened and heard Hina's words. The woman's brown eyes turned to her and locked on. A slow predatory smile came across her face. "You can have him to yourself now. I'm finished with him." She sauntered off down the hallway with a sway to her hips that was anything but natural. At the end of the hallway she turned her head and winked. "Just give him a few minutes to recuperate."

She was frozen in her spot for all of a moment and then she was pushing her way in. Darien was standing and buttoning his shirt. Serena saw red and all rational thought disappeared. "Forget something, Hina?" Her hand reached for whatever was nearby just as he looked up. "Serena!" He barely had time to duck as a missile flew by his head.

It shattered against the wall behind him. "You- you- I can't believe you did it with her! I thought you'd found some way out of it! You told me!" Serena was shaking so badly and she kept finding more things to throw at him, but she had no idea what she was throwing or where she got them from. He kept trying to avoid them, having to deflect a few with a raised hand when he couldn't duck fast enough, all the while moving closer as he did so. "I told you it was all right if you turned her down and she went after my relationship with Andrew. I could handle _that_." She reached out to grab something else but his hand at her wrist stayed hers. "Let go of me." She warned and reached with her other one to slap him but he caught that one too.

"Look." He said calmly but she refused to listen to him. She opened her mouth to continue her tirade at him but he shook her and he wasn't even looking at her. "_Look_." She followed his eye sight and noticed what his point was. There on the table was a pair of scissors that were opened and she had just been about to grab them, probably tightly and would have sliced her hand open. She felt all the anger fizzle out of her, but part of it remained, the part that was so hurt by his actions.

"I was going to give up on everything for you." She whispered brokenly and he tried pulling her close so he could hold her but she held herself erect and away. Her face scrunched up in distaste and he stopped his actions.

"I'm sorry you were here for that. But Hina- she's a drama queen, I forgot that about her. She did it all for your benefit. Or at least I think she did."

"She slept with you to piss me off?" Serena didn't even look up at him, her gaze was solely focused on his hands over hers, wanting him to let her go so she could either flee or scratch his eyes out. She wasn't sure which yet, though she knew which was better but it would end up with blood on her hands and her butt on a cold seat with bars around it.

"No." Darien shook his head. "Hina and I- we didn't sleep together."

"Right, sorry, that was too PG. You've had intercourse with her just to piss me off?"

"_Serena_." He was starting to sound a tad frustrated and she lifted her eyes. No it wasn't frustration, it was... anguish. She had never seen him so distressed before. "I need you to listen to me, ok? Very carefully. I did not engage with Hina any intimate behavior. Got it?"

"I smell her on you." Serena looked away. "I see her lipstick smeared across your face."

He let go of one of her hands and he must have been feeling very brave to do so, because she still hadn't decided which way she would react. He lifted her chin and forced her face around to look at him. "That was all an act on her part. She jumped me when I thought she was leaving. I was pushing her away once I realized what she intended but she was already heading towards the door. If I had any idea you were there, I wouldn't have let her get away with it. Please believe me, nothing happened."

He let go of his other hand on her wrist and it joined with its pair on her face. He was looking down at her so earnestly and she was sure she looked like all those kids who got their face smushed together by aunts. Not an attractive look, she was sure. She felt the knots in her chest loosening. He had never lied to her before, not like she had. She couldn't put on him her own sins. He had all these beautiful women vying for his attention and he continued to give it to _her_. Minutes must have ticked by as she weighed all this in her mind. On the plus side, Andrew could keep his job and nothing would really change. His sisters would continue to look upon her as a decent person.

Serena sighed but she didn't look away. "Let me think about it?"

He hesitated before he released her and it was a very noticeable hesitation. He didn't want to let her go, fearing that once he did, he'd never be able to get her back again. But eventually he did. "Is there anything I can do to help you come to a conclusion?"

Serena took a deep breath trying to break away the rest of the cobwebs that had started to form around her heart. "Take a shower and change your clothes." She glanced at the bed, it was ruffled. "That too." It would help her feel more confident at the very least and he nodded, gathering up new clothes.

Darien paused by the door. "Will you still be here when I finish?"

There was a quiver to her lips but she nodded. "I will be, we've got some things to discuss." He disappeared into the bathroom and Serena felt anxious.

She sat down but had too much nervous energy and popped back up to her feet. She walked around the room a bit, noticing all the shattered glass she was the culprit of. She sat back down. How had nobody heard her? Her legs bounced and she stood back up. She could hear the water running and she started tugging at her clothes. Screw it.

She opened the door to the bathroom and it was already fogging up, Darien couldn't see her as she crossed the surprisingly large bathroom. He only noticed when she opened the door to the shower. His surprise was paramount but he recovered quickly as he pulled her in. It was a very odd kiss, her dry and him soaked and soapy but she wouldn't have given it up for the world. Besides, she wasn't dry for very long.

* * *

EAN: So that's that for this chapter. Sorry to announce that the next chapter won't be up for at least a week, more likely two weeks. But when I get back I promise I will work on it!


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

AN: All right I guess I owe my beloved readers a new chapter, though you may or may not be pleased to learn that I've been writing chapters for other stories left unattended in recent months but have now spoken to me once more. I've got a surprising amount done. I'd tell you that they'd be up soon but in the case of Flamingos, I'm going to wait until I've finished typing it out before updating, or at least try to. That way the changes I've been making to future chapters won't be such a jolt. I did start it 12 years ago. Such changes are a must. So as with any break you'll see a lot of updates in all of one go. This probably hasn't been any different, has it? Any rate, you're more interested in Detrimental, and so here it is...

AN2: Aye, AM9! I just realized that I needed to clarify your comment on the multiple reporters!These questions won't be covered in the story. Ok, I _think _there were 3 in all? So the first 1 was actually after Jace not Serena. The second was just happenstance up at the huskies at the same time they were, but that's not that strange, they send a reporter out there to do fluff pieces on the huskies every year for about the same stories but with slightly different takes and perhaps different info depending on how well the huskies did the previous year or where they went or if there's any _shocking _info on the workers. She was also more interested in Darien and maybe a little bit of Serena, since she was from a bigger city she could get more exposure to the outside world there. She just had a vague recollection of Serena, but that's easily pushed away if she's not a great reporter and she's not. The third was 'hired'/contacted/alerted by the Shields sisters to come to the resort so they could get more advertisement out of the little side project she and Andrew were doing. Since they work for the resort they figured that they could cash in on the outside work as well. That's all. Hope that clarifies at least one of the threads that you're curious about... the others will come out in time... and I hope you'll be satisfied by the reveals. :)

–

Serena didn't know how she did it. She really didn't. Hina looked absolutely stunning at every interval during the day, no matter what happened. Today was no exception. Serena had just stomped in, trying to knock the most recent snowfall off her feet, when she glanced up and saw Hina leaning against a wall in a perfect model pose as she chatted with one of the guests.

Darien had told her to ignore the other woman, that she'd go away on her own when she finally got around to it. But he hadn't understood her hanging about either, she was usually flitting off to some new place after a few days. This was the longest he'd seen her in one location.

Hina had been spotted earlier in the streets making her way along the shops and now again. Serena let her eyes drift over the woman and not a single hair was out of place, not a single thing not perfectly accounted for. She was in a black jumpsuit and a yellow boyfriend blazer that played up her coloring rather than make her sickly. Serena knew that underneath the blazer the jumpsuit was a lie. The top barely covered any of her skinny chest. The sides were practically missing and the front plunged low and wide, ending just above her navel and covering not much else. The blazer kept it from being indecent but she hadn't been wearing it when she sat down for tea.

_Tea_, not coffee, Serena cataloged with annoyance. Serena liked tea as well but Hina seemed to have a certain affinity for it. If she didn't know better she'd think the brown eyed brunette was British, or Australian.

Serena was going to just walk passed Hina without saying a word to the other girl but as soon as she drew up level, Hina pushed away from the wall and gave her apologizes to the man. She walked with Serena for a few feet before she spoke in and 'in confidences' tone. "What a creeper, thought I'd go to bed with him."

"It's the middle of the day." Serena acknowledged, but kept her eyes determinedly in front of her. "Kind of early to go to bed."

"If ever." Hina agreed. Then she lapsed into silence as they walked and Serena turned just to try and avoid the woman but she turned with her. Serena wasn't even sure where she was intending to go or actually quite where she was... now that she looked around a bit.

She would now have to find a way to get back to the main hall so she could get some lunch. When she managed to do so, Hina was still with her and she stopped before the restaurant and turned to Hina. "Why are you still here?" She snapped.

Hina's brown eyes were a deep warm shade and kind of deceptive as she smiled at Serena, drawing her in. "I've decided no man is worth running after and rather than leave, I thought it would be rather fun to stay here and watch everything crumble. I wouldn't miss this show for the world." Her smile widened. "How about this, we could be friends while I'm here?"

"You want my world to fall apart and you're suggesting we become friends?" Serena tried to understand and when Hina nodded, Serena shook her head in exasperation. "No way! Go back to your own life and leave us alone."

Hina shrugged. "Too bad." She didn't sound very depressed by the response. Serena's jaw hardened as Hina let herself into the restaurant and Serena decided she could be anywhere else and be just as happy if not more so. She spotted Andrew and jogged up to him.

"Come on, let's go out and eat." She dragged him away before he could say anything. They passed Mina as they went with a small wave from Serena. She stopped and watched them pass.

–

Maybe Serena was just feeling a bit bereft. Nobody else seemed to mind Hina's presence. Not that a lot of them really dealt with her on a personal level. But it was because of Hina that Darien returned his base of operations temporarily back to the ranch and since she couldn't exactly go out and see him every day, she had to be content with the stolen kisses he'd surprised on her since _that day_. It was sweet but she was missing the rest of him.

Even just as much as spending time with him. But he'd claimed he had other work to do, work that actually involved the ranch. Apparently one of his prized cows was pregnant and he wanted to be on hand to help out if he was needed. She sometimes forgot that there was a little bit of country in his bones. He was so... _not necessarily _city but he had a kind of groomed appearance that she forgot he was from this place. Scars and all. But then again he was the first one able to adapt to creature comforts being taken away for a day or for a few.

But that wasn't as important, that day in the shower something had happened that she wasn't able to explain. Things had always been amazing between them but it had topped every other experience she'd had with him. There was a mix of emotions that had gone into it. Fear that she'd leave him, pain that she didn't trust him right away, anger, all of those negative emotions were combated by the sweet relief that she had pulled through and had come to him in the end.

Ever since that day, she felt claimed in a way that she'd never had before. She didn't, _couldn't _even pretend with Andrew anymore that they were anything but good friends. But that didn't seem to be a problem because even though her relationship these last few days had been reduced to kisses with Darien, it seemed as if Andrew had removed himself completely from Serena too. He didn't even kiss her in front of the Shields anymore. The most they did were hugs now. Serena couldn't even find it in herself to be worried about it. This might be the perfect thing to happen. It could explain why they broke up at the end of the year. The Shields sisters would be able to see in retrospect that the two of them had grown apart and that this place wasn't for Serena on any long term commitment plan.

If that's what they were going to do still. She really did need to speak to Andrew. But she had wasted more than half of lunch already coming to these conclusions. She bit her bottom lip, wondering how she could approach that topic. But they were in a public place with people close enough to overhear. It could get back to the sisters before they were ready to break it to them. There were three months left of the ski season and it would be foolish of them to try and replace Andrew now, but Rei had a hot enough temper that she might try. Serena hoped she was distracted enough by her pregnancy and keeping calm for the health of the baby, not that it had really done much good before.

"Weeellll..." Andrew dragged out when she put her fork down. "This has been a nice treat Sere but I've got to get back to work."

"Ok." She pushed back her chair and helped him carry their trays to the trash. They'd already paid up front and had gotten the food delivered to them at their table. But they were responsible for the clean up. "Thanks for coming out with me Drew, I know it isn't quite what you thought would happen for lunch." She laughed and laced her arm with his and they walked out together and back towards the lodge. "I just couldn't bare to go in to Lita's today. That Hina lady does not like me."

"Pash, there's nobody in the world who could not like you."

"Hina doesn't." Serena said gravely. "But that's all right, I'm not a huge fan of her either."

Andrew laughed. "Then its quite all right. Tell you the truth, I'm not a fan of hers myself. She was eying me and even tried to feel me up but I told her I was taken and she just laughed at me."

A frown tugged at Serena's lips. "She didn't say anything to you then, did she?"

"No, but I did feel like she was holding something back. I've avoided her since then." Andrew gave a shudder. "No thanks."

Serena hugged his arm closer and slipped her hand into his even though they were almost back to his skis. "That's probably for the best." When they did finally reach where he'd locked them up, she pulled away. "Well have a good rest of your shift. I'll see you later." She gave him a brief kiss on the cheek and with a wave headed back to the lodge.

She had the rest of the day off and wasn't sure what she was going to do with it. Serena slipped into the library to see if she missed any books worth reading. She could have always downloaded one but it was just so dodgy here whether or not it would take. At least they had the physical here and sometimes guests left books or exchanged them.

–

That's where Darien found her a few minutes later, and like usual, she wasn't paying attention when he grabbed her and planted one on her. She jumped out of her skin before she realized who it was and relaxed into the kiss. When he finally pulled away she socked him on the shoulder. His only response to that was to kiss her again.

When that kiss ended he placed a few over her face and when his lips brushed against her temple, he spoke. "Go out on a date with me tonight?"

"A date?" She'd whispered back, not quite believing what he'd said to be real. "How? This town is far too small and it'd be noticed if we'd left it again."

"Well we're not, not really. You're invited to the ranch." He even fixed a strand of her hair.

"I- oh all right!" He chuckled at her outburst and gave her a quick hug.

"Great. I'll be here around six. Casual, though if you want to wear a skirt, I'm not complaining."

"Get out of here before I throw something at you." Her eyes though were twinkling and he knew she wasn't remotely serious and for that he kissed her again. She was laughing as he left and she went back to looking. She was still thinking about him hours later and getting nowhere in the book she'd finally decided upon.

All too soon it was six and he was ready for her. She had been at the door with plenty of time to spare but tried to look like she wasn't eagerly awaiting his arrival. Serena didn't want to be asked what she was doing or where she was going, so tried to time it as close to six as possible. She ran down to his truck and he left without much time between the door shutting and the truck taking off. She buckled en-route. She felt a bit like a thief stealing away with the silver but her laugh made him look over at her with a smile in his eyes. He didn't question her about it.

Those were held at bay until later. But it was all right, she had her own questions.

Their 'date' was a lot more of a date than Serena had expected. He'd laid out plenty of warm blankets and pillows in the back of his horse drawn carriage and had some cold food and hot beverages waiting. Fred was driving and she turned to question Darien about it but he shook his head. "It's been worked out. Besides its better this way, the others don't know and aren't as likely to keep their mouths shut if they get to drinking."

Serena forgot that his men sometimes went in to town and drank with the locals. Most of the time they stayed on here and didn't drink but occasionally they had something to celebrate. He pulled her hat down more securely. She snuggled into his side as they rode and it was pretty around his grounds. It wasn't story riddled like Nashashuk's but he did point out things as they went.

"There under that tarp is something I've been planning on unveiling this spring."

"What is it?" Serena tried to figure it out based on its shape but she couldn't. She just knew it was metal and didn't seem put together yet.

"It's only a piece of it. I have to get my sisters to both agree with the absolute end product before it's official. They've already ok'd the idea."

She turned to him. "You're not going to tell me?"

"Nope. It's a surprise for you too. But it'll make your job easier." He kissed her nose. "And you'll thank me for it, I'm sure."

"Riiight." She agreed amused. "But I'll thank you for it twice if you tell me now."

He groaned and tugged her closer. "That offer is too tempting. How about if I give you a hint instead?" She scowled at him but it was a cute one and he gave in and told her the hint. "Only a few places in the world have something like it. One is only a few states away."

"In country?" She knew that Canada had 'states' too even if most of them didn't go by that term.

"Yep." He watched the wheels in her head going but she was at a disadvantage, she didn't come out west that often. "Give up?"

She sighed. "Yeah."

"Then you'll just have to wait like everyone else." He fed her a grape. "And I will have to as well."

"You don't sound that disappointed." Serena snagged the next grape he was about to put in his mouth and popped it into hers.

"Believe me, I'm very disappointed." In return he stole her carrot just as she was about to bite down onto it. "I thought you didn't like these."

"I don't. But Ton's told me I've got to start eating them. Why am I picked on so much?"

"Because you're the only one anyone's really worried about. You're the only one who is from some place sunny year round and is staying here for more than a few weeks, tops." Darien shrugged. "Let them worry, it keeps them busy."

Serena grumbled but snuggled in further, finished with the food, but held the thermos between her hands. "I wish they had someone else to be worried about."

"I'm surprised they're not worried about Andrew. He's your husband, shouldn't he have been from Florida too?"

"Er..." Serena hadn't known this would be a 'trip Serena up' date. Though he probably hadn't planned to put her on the spot. How would he know there was a spot to put her on? "Andrew's from my home town. His house is there and so has to live there a majority of the time. But he flies down to see me whenever he can. We usually spent weekends together." Every word of that was true.

Darien hummed in the back of his throat and moved on, letting the topic rest. Serena should have known that it wouldn't be the end of it. He was a sly one. "Mind if I take a sip?" He motioned to her hot chocolate and she handed it over. He took her hand and put it in the opened spot of his jacket to keep warm while he stole her heater. When he handed it back he put his legs over hers. "Warm enough still?"

"Yeah. That's much better." Her voice got husky and she leaned in closer. The horses neighed and she was jerked sideways as Fred pulled on the reigns. She thought it completely unnecessary. Darien chuckled and kissed her temple.

"Maybe not all worked out, but we're getting there."

The rest of the evening passed pleasantly and they chatted about amusing things and had moments of silence that was so comfortable she knew she was in the right place.

Later, just as she was rolling over to get out of bed, intending to get dressed and go, Darien snagged her about the waist and pulled her back to his bare side. It was very warm in the bed with him and she was loathe to leave. The fire crackled on the other side of the room lending its efforts to keeping the place toasty. Darien wasn't quite ready to let her go either but both knew it would be well passed reasonable to be returning so late, soon.

Serena snuggled up against him and fell into a silent moment. She must have dozed because the next thing she knew her head was on his stomach and he was leaning back against the headboard. The hand closest to her was running along her arm, continuously getting snagged in her hair, but working its way out again. In the other, he had one of her rings. He kept turning it round and round in his fingers, a pensive look on his face. She must have tensed up because he looked down at her. "I'm not upset by it, I'm just wondering... why does it say, to my dearest love, Irene Peterson?"

"That was my mother's maiden name." Serena admitted. "That was her engagement ring."

Darien nodded and put it down to pick up the plain band instead. "And this one? Irene Moon, for when she got married, I assume?"

"You assume correctly." Serena reached out for it and then reached across him for the engagement ring. She put that one on first.

"Why are you wearing your mothers rings?" Darien's tone was only conversational and she could tell he kept it that way on purpose. He was trying not to antagonize her or get her suspicious of anything. Well he failed, she already was, but not because of him but because she needed to be. "Because they're all I have left of her."

"Didn't your father want to keep them?" Darien's voice got more raspy as he realized where he had ventured into.

"He didn't have the option." Serena struggled to sit up and worked on getting herself free. This is not what she wanted to discuss right now. If she could have it her way, she wouldn't discuss this, ever.

"You already know my parents died in a car crash. Why won't you share what happened to yours?" Darien reached for her but she slipped through his fingers, faster this time than he was.

"I don't like to discuss it." Serena turned to him and he held himself back from taking her up in his arms again, she was too sexy for her own good. Especially when she was fiery and naked as the day she was born. Though she didn't see herself in that light. He watched her work with grace as she pulled her clothes on. It had not been his intention to stir this up in her, he had wanted only a happy date after the last week. They still hadn't finished that discussion. Or the one he really wanted to have with her.

Once she was fully clothed in not only what was on her body but her emotional armor as well, he felt it was all right if he got up and pulled his pants on. "That's why the rings were too big for you, they were your mother's. But why didn't you have your own rings?"

She scowled at him and he wondered for a moment if she would even answer him. "They were always to be my rings, Andrew honored that history. I never got a chance to resize them and since with my job I'd have only lost them, I kind of forgot they were too big because I hardly wore them. " If at all. Serena folded her arms across her chest. "Now the matter has been taken care of. So are you taking me back or am I going to take a truck myself?"

"I'm taking you back." He came around and pulled her unwilling body against his. "There's no way I'm going to let you leave me quite so soon when you're so cross with me." He laid a kiss on both of her cheeks and she felt herself melting when he released her again. "Come back to bed." He urged and she subsided, slipping under the covers with him but not getting undressed. He still wore his pants too. He pulled her into the shelter of his arms and leaned slightly over her.

"If we're being totally honest here, why don't you come clean about that night in the bar? Or should I say behind it?" Serena lifted a brow. "Or is that something you'd rather not discuss?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Sure thing, am I? You weren't quite so sure about yourself when you blurted out that you loved me, or was that a mistake and you just rolled with it?"

"Oh." Darien now realized what she was talking about. "You seem to misread your own memory if you think it's like that." He threaded his fingers through her hair. "I was never sure you'd return my love. I was trying to trip you up outside the bar. I wanted to antagonize you into admitting to your feelings so I'd be able to tell you my own. Instead it only ended up hurting me."

He'd accused her of not desiring Andrew because she lusted after _him_. Why else would she follow him out there and every time he left a room? She was a slave to her baser senses. He'd been intending to kiss her just to make her angry, but she pushed away and walked back into the bar to prove to him how much she loved and wanted Andrew. She'd proved it all right. Or at least enough to have him cooling his heels for awhile, but he realized then and there that he couldn't go on like he had. "Why would you want to do that?"

"If you admitted it, then I might have finally admitted to myself my feelings for you. Turned out, that was just a kick I needed to realize how deep my feelings for you ran. I was _trying _to get you to step out of your marriage. I had no idea that the poison was already in your system and I wasn't trying to take advantage of you. I was hoping that you'd slip up and admit the truth too."

Serena pouted as she stared belligerently back at him. "Why do you always have to have the perfect answer and make it impossible for me to stay mad at you? God it's hard, I love you too much to do so. I do love you, please remember that when I'm being difficult."

"You just don't want to share your life with me."

"It's hard for me to talk about and I haven't had to in such a long time. Anyone who needs to know already knew because they were there for it all to unfold." She ran a finger along one of his scars and it was so different from when Hina had done so. "Much like these scars. Nobody will tell me but everyone knows."

"You've asked others about them?" He stilled her hand and kissed its palm.

"Only when it's come up." She lifted a brow. "Is it something you can share?"

"Most of them were from trying to pull my parents out of the wreckage." The words totally unexpected and said so straightforward surprised her and she gripped his hand reassuringly. "The others were from various fights. None that I started, but a girl was being picked on when I first moved out to D.C. And her boyfriend wailed out and hit me. That was this one." He lifted her hand to his lip. "He was wearing a ring at the time."

"And the one at your shoulder?" Serena laid a kiss on it. "What happened here?" It was different than the others, it was jagged and looked old.

"I got caught up in one of the machines when trying to fix it. Thankfully it was off at the time with no chance of turning on but I still suffered from being a novice."

"And the one at your eye?" She trailed her thumb against it. There were actually two lines along the bone-line. He had lived a very diverse life.

"That was from a bear."

"Saving a baby from an attack?" She asked and she shouldn't have been so surly but it would be something he'd said just to string her along, a bear attack, really!

"No joke, I was thirteen at the time, I thought I knew it all and left some food by accident in the tent. I barely managed to miss the claws from taking out my eye. It was dumb luck that I managed to get away, even to this day I'm not sure how I managed it. I got a scar in return for my idiocy, but there's also a story, if I chose to tell it."

"Why _don't_ you share these things?" Serena shook her head. "They're not bad stories to tell. Instead you try to be so dark and mysterious by keeping these things hidden."

"I reeled you in with that act, didn't I?" He kissed the tips of her fingers, and she didn't realize she was still gripping his hand tightly. "I'm just a private person. You know that." She did, but he was warm with a heart of gold, a private person who shared just enough of himself to be considered outgoing. "Some day you're going to tell me everything, you know that, right? Nobody would suspect that you, so open and approachable, honest and outgoing, are keeping so many things hidden."

"Not so many things, just a couple and only one out of sheer necessity." She kissed his forehead and got to her feet. "Better get going. Don't want to get caught out after curfew."

"Jokester." Darien hauled her close for a proper kiss. "I should let Fred drive you home."

"Then you'll never see me again, nobody will. I'll be one of those great unsolved mysteries."

Darien shook his head. "No way. Fred's not a bad guy, he'd never physically harm you."

"I'm not so sure about that." Serena shrugged. "Oh well, as long as I've got you, it should be all right, shouldn't it?"

"Definitely." His voice was husky as he brought his head close to her's. "As long as I've got you, everything is right in the world."

She about melted at his feet. "Easy, you've already got me, you don't need to lay it on so thick." But she was smiling. He chased her out of the room and she giggled the whole way down the stairs, shrieking a bit when he caught her and pulled her in for punishment. He got so close that she thought he'd kiss her again and she'd love it.

Instead he started tickling her and she fought to get away from those fingers. She was super ticklish and she couldn't stop laughing. "Stop, please!" She was turning red from laughing so hard.

He did and held her in his arms. "We really need to get going."

"We do." She agreed, not even a muscle ticked in leaving him.

"You're going to need to be the strong one this time and help me let you go." Darien admitted after a moment.

"That's a shame, because I was hoping the strong one could be you again." Her hands slid up his chest. "Though I could probably find a way to sneak in. It's not like there's _really_ a curfew. The guests come and go as they please. I'm sure if I did get caught, I could come up with _some_ reason about why I'm not in bed even though its so late."

"You could always tell whoever asks that it's the last day on Earth and you wanted to see it for yourself."

"That's not tonight." Serena wrapped her fingers around the fabric of his shirt.

Darien scooped her up and she laughed at his caveman tactics. "Well we can pretend it is."

"Sure." She started working on his buttons as he walked, her mouth following the trail of her fingers and he faltered in his step. Then he was moving a lot faster towards the bedroom.

Serena couldn't remember what time she got back that night but she snuck into the apartment, hoping not to make a sound and slipped into bed.

–

A few days later and they were slow dancing in his ranch's main room in the middle of the day. The next day Serena barely managed to hide under his desk after an intense make-out scene when Mina burst in on them without knocking. "Where's Serena?" She demanded looking around.

Darien cleared his throat and fidgeted with his tie, it had been over his shoulder a split-second ago. Mina was too wrapped up in herself to notice and for the first time in his life he was thankful for that character fault. "She's out. Don't know when she'll be back."

"I didn't see her go out." Mina commented a little disappointed and her shoulders slumped.

"Anything I can do to help you?" Darien asked feeling a bit bad for her.

"No, just wanted to ask her to coffee. Oh well, another time perhaps."

Serena sighed in relief when the door clicked shut behind Mina. Darien held out a hand and helped her up from the floor. "Perhaps I should 'wander' in and find her. Coffee sounds nice."

"How do you suppose to do that?" Darien asked gently and straightened some of her hair for her. "This is a disaster."

"I know." Serena took the band out of her hair and shook it out before pulling it all back to be a nice high ponytail instead. "That's what happens when you let your hands wander."

The look he gave her in return told her that he wouldn't mind letting his hands wander further. She blushed and looked away, smoothing her clothes as much as possible. "How can you still do that?" He asked amused and she looked back at him curiously. "Blush. We've been together a lot and you can still blush in my presence."

"If you think I shouldn't-"

"No, it's just.. well its endearing. To be so innocent still at least in reactions." Darien hooked an arm around her and brought her closer but they weren't touching otherwise. He reached a hand out and smoothed a wayward strand behind her ear. "You're perfect."

She knew he was just talking about her hair. She'd warned him in the past about believing her perfect and that had been followed by a devastating blow to his perception of her. She didn't want another one to follow, she couldn't suffer through another round. "I- I have to go. I told Michelangelo and Mina that I'd meet up with them for lunch. Mina must have forgotten, in fact I had too. I'll snag her and run by Michelangelo's usual spot to see if he remembered. I had the greatest idea recently and I needed to run it by them." Serena pulled nervously out of his grasp and gathered up her stuff in a quick and untidy manner. She just threw everything into her over-sized purse.

He watched her go, a look in his eyes that she didn't want to read too much into. She was in this too deep. She had allowed herself to become almost completely vulnerable with that man and she didn't allow herself to do that with just anyone. She needed to put some space between them. Darien was going to get hurt. She was going to get hurt. She was an idiot for allowing things to get so far out of hand. Even though they were in love, this was certainly going to end in doom.

She found Mina and tried to pretend as if she'd just come from a walk and had made a quick swing upstairs for her stuff. "Ready for lunch?" She asked linking an arm with the girl's and she was bounced into a hug of epic proportions. Mina always gave one of the strongest hugs.

"I'm so glad you got the message! But I was only looking for coffee."

"We're meeting Michelangelo, remember?"

"Is it that time of the month already? Wow these months are going fast." Mina dragged her along now that she knew where their destination was. Serena laughed as she gave in to the moment.

Michelangelo joined them and they fully agreed with her plan. Since Jace couldn't be promo-d due to his popularity and trying to keep a low profile, Michelangelo volunteered to do it instead. He'd use one of those board cameras and showcase the winter sports in only the best slopes and craziest tricks. Serena rolled her eyes at his agreement, he didn't have to practically kill himself to get the good feed. "They won't even know how amazing it is."

"Oh they'll know, those cameras _are_ amazing."

"I was thinking of combining it with your category, if it were all right? Make it into a competition in March, whoever makes the best video gets a free season pass and free entrance into the following year's competition."

"There'll be a fee involved to enter?"

"Only a small one this year and slightly bigger next year. It'll generate enough revenue to cover March's low season if there aren't enough people in the lodge."

Mina nodded. "I like it. We can even do a summer version. Has Darien showed you his newest plans for the summer months? He wants to put in a zip-line and a roller coaster and use that toboggan track as a dry slide. Think of the endless possibilities there are with those additions?"

"That's what he's designing?" Serena's eyes grew huge. "A mountain roller coaster?"

"Yep. Oh it's a lot of fun here over the summer time, when I stay that is." Mina continued blathering on and Serena tried to keep up but she was still trying to imagine what this town would be like with one of those rare sort of roller coasters. That would definitely be a major attraction. The locals would enjoy it too. And a zip-line! Now that was something she wouldn't mind trying.

"I'm surprised he hasn't designed a waterpark."

"No, too much maintenance for little output. There's a water park near Billings." Michelangelo explained.

"You knew about all of this too?"

"Yeah, he kicked it around with everybody the last few years and since we were all positive on the idea he'd decided to go ahead with it now that everything was kind of situated. He didn't _really _need to be here to oversee the construction of it, Fred could have handled it. But it's probably going to run a lot smoother now."

"Wow." Serena shook her head. "He's pretty creative."

"I'm surprised he hasn't told you considering how, close, you two work together." His slight pause with the word went completely over Mina's head as she was still chatting away oblivious they were having their own conversation.

"He'd mentioned something but he wouldn't tell me exactly what it was, wanted it to be a surprise for when he unveiled it. Oh well, I guess I'll still be surprised."

Michelangelo shook his head but he was smiling. "I'm glad for you actually. Darien at least lives in D.C. Perhaps you could room with him if you ever decided to make a move further north. Lots of opportunities up there."

"D.C. would be bearable." Serena agreed. "Though I'm not quite ready to make that kind of move yet."

"What's stopping you?"

"Being here for starters."

Michelangelo rolled his eyes. "I thought that was changing soon."

"Not if I can help it." Serena took another bite of her meal as his eyes narrowed on her. "I made a promise and I honor my promises."

"I think that ship has sailed, don't you?" Michelangelo lifted his glass and swirled it. "It can't even see the horizon anymore."

"Things are smooth sailing right now, why veer off course and into a storm?" She lifted an eyebrow and sat back in her chair. Mina was slowly coming to a realization that they were completely off topic now and was trying to catch up.

"Is someone going sailing? If you haven't noticed we don't have any moving water right now."

"It's probably for the best, if there was any sailing right now, there would probably be a crash." Michelangelo responded to the other blond female at the table though his eyes didn't stray from Serena. "Isn't that right?"

Serena didn't respond and went back to her plate. That last comment had confused her. Should she stop this? She was already starting to wonder that herself. She didn't need to make any decisions now. Time, hopefully, would help solve matters. She just kept her fingers gripping the seams, hoping to hold it together long enough for the winter season to pass and she'd be in the clear to go her own way.

In this mental image she had of her situation, one of her nails chipped and she tried not to think of it as an omen.

–

Andrew was up on the 'hill' teaching an advanced class and Serena was contemplating a shower or a shower and a swim. But at the moment she was too lazy to get up from the couch and change. So maybe the swim was out. But the shower was tempting, it promised to be nice and warm and as how the room was colder than she remembered it being in quite some time and there was no fire burning in the living room, she decided it was probably the best.

Serena went into the bathroom to turn the taps on and let it run for a few minutes but when she checked it again the water being pumped out was still cold. She turned off the knobs and went back to the kitchen to make some hot coco. As the water was heating up, she called up to Nashashuk's desk.

"Hello?"

"Hi Nash, it's Serena."

"Well hello Serena, it is pleasant to hear your voice. What can I do for you?"

"I hate to admit this, but I don't know how to start a fire, it burnt out while Andrew and I were out, probably an hour ago." Really she had been asleep on the couch and hadn't thought of it until the damage was done. "It wouldn't be a problem, I'd wait until Andrew got back but the hot water seems to be out too for the apartment." Since theirs was a separate unit like the Shields' rooms, they had a different supply line than the guests' quarters.

"Oh, that is a problem. Well I'd say I'd come and look at it right away but unfortunately it is actually the furnaces that heat the water which is the culprit and I cannot get to it today. The snow melted and refroze yesterday to the door leading to that and now I cannot get it open. The guests' water supply is fine, its just the individual ones to you and the girls that aren't working. It's such a shame that they happened to go out at the same time the door froze. Tomorrow if it warms up I should be able to get in there and fix it. Can you handle a day without a shower?"

"Yeah, that's not a problem. Thanks."

"No problem." Nashashuk seemed to be distant for a moment and then came back on the line. "Lita's told me to tell you that this way you get to smell that delicious manly smell of your husband all night. He's bound to have it since he's worked hard all day. She says its her present to you, though she has done nothing to make it happen. Ouch." Nashashuk laughed. "Of course she didn't say that last part. Would you like to retaliate?"

"No, just tell her I'll keep that in mind for the next time she needs to get clean."

"You could use one of the guest rooms for the shower. I'm sure Raye or Amy wouldn't mind letting you in to one. They'll probably be using one themselves."

Serena laughed. "It's fine. If Andrew's going to smell, I might as well along with him. Hopefully he'll be back for the fire in the next hour or so. Until then, I might as well go use the main floor's fire before I get so stinky that I'm not allowed up."

Unfortunately the room for the boiler was impossible to get into for several more days. But Darien surprised her the next day when everybody was out at work, he knocked on her door. She opened it expecting Mina or someone else. "Darien! What are you doing here?"

"I've come for a visit." He looked around and then swooped down for a kiss but she tried to duck away from his hands. He laughed and caught her anyway. "What's the matter?"

"I'm probably stinky and greasy and I didn't want you to see or smell it." She struggled to get out of his arms but he only walked in further and shut the door behind him, the right way and effortlessly.

"Didn't I warn you this could happen?" He tapped her on the nose. "So 'ashuk couldn't fix it? Ah-shucks."

Serena rolled her eyes at him. "Oh so very funny. How long have you been sitting on that one?"

"Truthfully? Never used it before. I hadn't been around for a lot of the problems in recent years and before that I was usually the one fixing it."

"Then could you fix that door?" She pointed at the one behind him.

"How so?"

"Well for starters you should be on the other side of it."

"Honey!" Darien tugged her close to him, probably stretching out her clothes in weird spots as he did so and her nose wrinkled in distaste but it didn't slow him down. "What's the matter? Why are you so grouchy? Did I do something wrong?"

"No." But she wasn't budging, but neither was he. When she noticed that she sighed and drooped her shoulders. "It's nothing against you, it's just been a few days since my last shower and yesterday wasn't the best day, and you're not supposed to be here. We could get caught and you've never used a term of endearment with me before!"

"Is that what you're upset about? Well of course I'm going to use a term of endearment, I've already told you I loved you, so why not?"

"No, it isn't that, of course you should be able to. It's just.. I'm not in the greatest of moods."

Darien brought her close and held her head against his chest. "Don't worry, I've got solutions to all of the problems. Even if they are just temporary fixes." When she looked up at him curiously he grinned. "Gather up whatever you need, you're coming over to my Ranch for a shower and some relaxation and letting all of your worries go."

It was the first time he'd visited the apartment since this started up again. She was afraid that they'd get caught and even more worried that he wanted them to. Though she did have to admit, the shower was heavenly and she had fun with him, she always did and for a few hours, at least until she returned home early that morning and slipped quietly into bed and feigned sleep, her worries disappeared.

–

A night later and she was having a nightmare. She was tossing and turning in her bed. She must have been moaning loud enough, for Andrew joined her. He gathered her up in his arms and held her thrashing body against his. She couldn't move as much and the heat and strength of the man calmed her dreams. She knew he was there, even if she never woke up. She kissed his naked shoulder in acknowledgment and thanks. He held her even tighter and stayed with her all through the night, first murmuring words of comfort and then falling asleep with her in his arms.

In her nightmare she was pulling a rope and she never seemed to get any further with it, never quite reaching that next knot in front of her and it kept slipping further out of her hands, she wasn't gaining any ground. In fact if she held on tight it either burnt her palms as it ripped through them or dragged her along with it. But knowing somehow that she didn't want to go where it dragged her and she'd let go, only to fear not having that endless rope and grabbing it once more and it would scrape against her palms.

–

A few days later found her with time off once more and she gathered up a book and sat in the lodge's main hall with it and a blanket. The fire had died again. Darien found her an hour later and sat by her feet. Underneath the cover, he had his hand wrapped around her ankle. His thumb massaged her calf. He wanted to somehow be linked with her and she buried her other foot under his thigh. He was reading from his tablet.

They weren't talking and they weren't doing anything of interest, but they were comfortable and strangely happy.

Raye walked in and stopped dead in her tracks. Amy followed bumping into her from behind. "Oh!" Amy caught Raye before the first woman was even ruffled. Then she looked around. "Serena and Darien! I'm so surprised. It's nice to see the two of you together without arguing. Perhaps though you shouldn't be in the main hall."

Even with her brother, in his own childhood home where he could have spent time in any room of the house as he so pleased she was trying to dictate to him. Darien lifted an eyebrow. "You'd rather have us get a room? Be together behind closed doors and in completely privacy?"

Serena's eyebrows lifted in mortification and tried to bury her foot discretely into his thigh but he ignored her and Amy was suddenly shaking her head. "Oh no, no-no. I didn't mean that. Never mind, carry on." Amy prodded Raye on along in front of her and Raye finally found her voice a few feet away and was holding a rather loud conversation with Amy about her surprise at the two of them getting along.

"When did _that_ happen?"

"Well they did spend some time away from prying eyes, perhaps they worked out the problems and their dislike for each other. Maybe they realized it was all a big misunderstanding."

Raye's response to that wasn't heard as they went into the back rooms towards Amy's office.

Serena felt all the sudden anxiety release out of her. "Man that was close." But she didn't move away, right now she hadn't a bone in her body that could possibly change her position. Darien was nodding but his eyes were already sliding back to his book and she let herself become immersed in her characters again.

She didn't know how many hours they were like this but soon they were talking and laughing and playing around. Others joined them and they changed focus, got involved in a new game and enjoyed the moment. As long as they were enjoying moments and not getting too deep, Serena could blissfully pretend that everything was all right. That it was all perfect.

–

Everything changed the next night. Darien grabbed her hand under the table and laced his fingers with hers as a group of them ate dinner together. Later they'd go and have their weekly poker game and Serena was going to go until that moment at dinner. Darien was sticking around for another few hours and she wasn't going to waste that time while everyone was distracted by playing for money. Money was never that important to her.

It wasn't hard for him to stick around and they probably could have found another way or time to sneak off, but it was harder to sneak off to the ranch than it was his old room. But they couldn't use that room too often because once a week the linens got switched out and it would be obvious that it had been used. On very rare occasions Darien went there to nap rather than drive a half hour back to his house, but that was a lot rarer than once a week.

He'd pressed into her hand a number for a vacant room for the night and she memorized it before throwing the paper into the fire. It was kind of fun, too, to sneak around behind everyone's back. The thrill of possibly getting caught was kind of addicting and she wouldn't have suspected it of herself before this.

With a kind of giddiness she managed to make her way there without being caught. She was there before he was and so she slipped into the bathroom to change. She had bought a cute outfit in Jackson that she hadn't thought she'd get a chance to wear while she was up here. When she came back out, Darien was starting a small fire, enough to warm the room but not too hard to put out afterward.

He turned his head while he was poking it and an appreciative look crept over his features. "You look fantastic." He moved quickly to a completely standing position and strode over to her. "This wasn't exactly the reason I asked you up here today, but I can't say no."

He closed the distance but Serena held up her hand. "What _did_ you want to talk to me about?"

"It can waist- wait." Darien's lips were already on her neck, making her moan in pleasure as his hands came around her waist, almost engulfing it.

If he could put it out of his mind for now, so could she. She wasn't the one who had something important to talk about. The curiosity he'd brought up with those words wouldn't even entice her to question more. She more interested in getting this sweater up and over his head then working on the buttons on the shirt below without tearing them off in her passionate haste.

Later he laid with her, stroking her hair and looking down at her with such affection. "I can't wait until we don't have to sneak around anymore." He commented almost nonchalantly, as if he wasn't really thinking about what he said.

Serena's eyes crinkled as she narrowed them. There was a sinking feeling in her gut that this was the end. "What do you mean? We'll always have to sneak around." Could he _know_?

"Well you're going to tell Andrew soon. You'll get a divorce and then we can really be together."

She pushed herself up onto her elbows. "Wait, what? I'm not going to divorce Andrew. I can't."

His hand froze and he slowly removed it. "Because you have a religion that doesn't believe in it? Well I don't either, but that doesn't mean that some form of ending it isn't possible. You could get an annulment."

"I'm not getting an annulment."

He pushed himself up off the bed and started pulling his clothes on. "We're going to tell Andrew and soon."

"We're not going to do that." Serena felt the fear claw up her throat. This wasn't the way she wanted things to go. Why was he dictating to her what was going to happen now? "That's playing right into Hina's hands. Don't you see? She just wants this thing to go into total meltdown so she can squeeze some entertainment value out of our drama." Serena protested, protecting what they had.

Darien's face twisted as he realized what she was really saying. "You have already agreed to tell him."

"I might have but it's different now. I don't want to while Hina's hanging about." She hoped the other girl would get bored within a week and leave.

"Don't worry about Hina." His words started to become shorter and more aggressive. "Our life doesn't revolve around her."

"I know, but the fact is that there is something to be said about her presence. I don't want her to get everything she wants. She's already tried to ruin our relationship. I don't want this to ruin what I have with Andrew."

"What you have with Andrew will be ruined anyway."

"Maybe, but on the other hand we could still salvage something if she doesn't get her fingers into it. I'd rather wait until she leaves." If possible, later than that.

"Sounds like you're just putting off what you know is right, what I thought both of us wanted. Now I think I'm the only one who wants it."

"I do. I _do_. I just... well it's not so simple. I haven't gotten a chance to talk to Andrew yet and well, he's going to be floored by the admission and I, I was ready to do it until that scene with her!"

Serena didn't want to be having this argument with him. Things had been going so well between them and if they'd just let things go naturally it'd all work out. They didn't have to push things like this. Besides, these were just excuses for the underlying problem. She was afraid, afraid of getting too close to him. Afraid of letting him down herself when all the distractions were pulled away and he was realizing that she wasn't perfect. No matter how often she kept trying to steer him towards that opinion he still kept a bar for her that was too high.

"You mean to tell me that you were planning on continuing this charade? That you were going to remain with Andrew and continue seeing me on the side?" That sounded about right to her, at least then she had something to fall back on, a trait that she could explain away if he broke it off with her and left her devastated.

"Well yeah, isn't that what you thought we were doing?"

"What I thought-. Well-." There was a slight pause here as he gathered his thoughts and chose his words carefully. "I _thought_ you were going to be with me. I can't believe you'd think any less of me, that in a million years I'd ever settle to be the other man. That I would do something like that!" He was clearly distraught by this turn of events. He ran his hand through his hair for the tenth time since he finished dressing. She'd never seen him do it so often before.

"I am with you!" It was the only thing she could respond to safely and Serena felt naked in a way she hadn't felt naked before with him. She'd always been comfortable in her own skin but if he was going to be fully dressed, she wasn't going to face him in the nude. She got up and quickly pulled on the nightie, it didn't cover much but it added a bit of mental reinforcements.

"That's not what I meant and you know it! I thought when we came clean with each other that it was clear that I wanted to be with you. Really be with you. I didn't bring it up before because it was the holidays and I thought it was a jerk move to tell someone in the middle of it all. But now that its over, and has been over for over a few weeks that you'd finally _tell _him."

"I can't tell him." Serena felt a cold chill run down her back at the thought of it. How could she tell Andrew she ruined his life further by telling him she'd ruined his career on a whim. That she couldn't keep her pants on long enough to help him get a permanent place here, couldn't handle a year, hell, less than a year, more like 3/4ths of one without sleeping with someone. She couldn't even manage one day. She would never be able to look him in the eye again. Even if he somehow found it in him to forgive her, she'd never forgive herself.

"You never intended to go through with this, never wanted us to really be together?" His voice was cold and she wrapped her arms around her to protect herself from it cutting deep.

"I did, I _do_. But if it ain't broke- well you know the rest. I'm not going to tell Andrew now. It'll ruin his life and I couldn't stand to see that happen to him. He means too much to me to sucker punch. There's no reason to."

"No reason? Aren't I reason enough?"

"That's not what I meant and you know it." Serena crossed her arms over her chest. His volume kept going up.

"I never figured you for a coward, but I swear the way you've been acting leads me to believe it."

"I'm not a coward!"

"Maybe not when it comes to danger, but you're an emotional coward, too afraid to hurt him or tell him the truth and suffer his wrath." Darien's words hit hard and they were true but not in exactly the same way he believed. She was able to recognize that much at least, just not how to fix it. "Too afraid to let go and be vulnerable by taking a chance on me and not keeping to what you know. I'll do it myself, then."

Darien was absolutely furious and she knew he'd do as he said. He spun on his bare-footed heel and stormed away from her. She donned on her real clothes in a hurry and chased after his sure-fire direction. She had to stop him! She followed absolutely terrified of what he'd do. She kept trying to talk some sense into him when she finally caught up.

"I'm not into flings and I don't sleep with married women." He hissed.

"You slept with me." She tried to keep her voice low.

"That was only because it was different between the two of us, or at least I thought it was. I thought you were going to leave Andrew for me. I thought it would be all right if that was the end result because we are in love. You don't love Andrew."

"I do love Andrew and we are in love." Serena agreed. "But its not as easy as you make it sound. I can't leave Andrew. If you just waited awhile-"

"And I don't keep secrets. Between the two of us, I think I have the better track record and the higher moral ground."

She faltered in her step. "That was low and cheap and not even completely true. I can't believe you're still throwing these things at me."

"If the shoe fits, Cinderella." That was another low blow, she wasn't after his money and he knew it too. If she were, wouldn't she have jumped at the chance to leave Andrew for the higher dollar sign next to the life worth category?

He was still going round and round about how he'd break this to Andrew. Serena had begged him not to, but he was furious enough and just about gone crazy because of her that he had to.

Serena was still trying to figure out a way to make him stop, make him listen to her and not to barge in there and tell Andrew that she was cheating on him. "Please don't, he's hurting right now as it is. Please don't add to his pain. He needs something to hang onto and his job would be that for him, but if I came clean, he wouldn't have anything anymore and I couldn't do that to him."

"Why's he hurting?" Darien hesitated and she almost had him, but she couldn't give him an answer so she looked away. "What happened?" He pulled her face back around but she pressed her lips together. "Another lie? I don't handle lies well, as you know. Well if you can't give me an answer then I have to assume its not true and so your plea is void. I'm telling him. Even if it means you can never forgive me, I'm going to tell him the truth. One of us at least deserves it."

"Please don't make me tell you. Have a heart and don't make me say anymore. Just trust me-"

"I'm done trusting you on this matter. It's about time he learns what you've been doing behind his back."

Guilt gnawed at her and it was ripping her to shreds. She felt horrible and she clung to his arm, hoping to stop this. Darien shook her off. If Andrew was still playing cards with the others it would add to his humiliation. But when Darien opened the door, she could see through the crack that it was just Andrew putting the cards away. "We need to talk." Darien started and shut the door firmly in her face, she pounded against it, but he ignored her and eventually she stopped.

He knew she'd be on the other side with her ear pressed against the door but unable to hear what they said. She wouldn't go away but she wouldn't come in either. He'd locked it to ensure that she didn't find some way to get Andrew out of the room. It meant nobody else could come in on them either, at least he wouldn't be throwing out the dirty laundry in front of everyone. And if things went bad, Andrew wouldn't be able to hurt anyone else, especially Serena, without some obstacle in his way and hopefully the time it took to open the door would calm him down enough first. He could take whatever the other man threw at him. Hell he'd been furious to find out he was the cheater, he couldn't imagine what he'd feel if he was in Andrew's shoes.

"Darien? I was just going to bed." Andrew was looking behind him at the door. "Who was that?"

"It doesn't matter. There is something we need to talk about first. Please, have a seat." Darien waved to the table that was still up with several bottles of beer upon it. "Good game?"

"I lost all that I had in my wallet." Andrew's voice was a bit slurred and Darien wondered if that had something to do with it and how many bottles had been his.

"That's too bad. It'd have been nice for you to be on an upswing." Darien watched as the blond's normally cheery face crumbled and he sank into the chair Darien had mentioned before. "Are you all right?"

"It's just that an upswing would have been grand. It would have made things at least a little brighter for a little while. It's been pretty bleak this week."

Darien hesitated in blurting out what he wanted to say, to get it over and done with. He hadn't been expecting Andrew in quite an honest and forthright mood. He also hadn't been expecting much to phase Andrew, the little he'd seen of the man he'd always been chipper or on the rare occasion defensive of Serena. Right now he looked desolate and he had to wonder if he already knew. "It's about Serena. Partly on your thoughts about her and-"

"She's smashing." Andrew announced. "She's everything anyone could ever want in a wife. Did she do something wrong again? I know you don't really like her." Not liking her was the opposite of how he felt, though at the moment he couldn't exactly say he was too fond of her. But he wondered why Andrew would think such a thing.

"Wrong?"

"Yeah, ever since she came here she's been fretting about pleasing you and I haven't seen her fret that way, _ever_. God I've known her for so long, she was my first choice." She was Darien's first choice too but only one of them got her first and it wasn't the dark haired man. "I can't believe I've messed it up so badly with her..."

"She's your wife, how bad could you have messed it up?" Darien didn't plan for this conversation to go this way and he had to admit that Andrew made him realize he had been particularly hard on Serena and though it was only in anger, she was trying really really hard. He didn't know she was trying to please him quite so much. She'd only appeared calm in front of him except for when he riled her in other ways.

"Really badly. I'm in the hottest water a husband has ever been in. I don't blame her really, I was a lousy husband and I wasn't always there for her. I had hoped- I'd hoped this trip would bring us closer. It only tore us apart."

"She's here, isn't she?"

"Who?" Andrew frowned at him.

"Serena." Darien said slowly, the other man was already a thousand thoughts away.

"God I love Serena. She's the best. She's always been there for me. It was rough going for awhile, but I'm so thankful for this job, it's only brought us closer together. We really needed it. I hated being apart from her."

It was hard to track Andrew's thoughts and it seemed almost contradictory of what he'd just said. Andrew was a bit more drunk than Darien had realized at first. But no matter what he'd said, Darien was starting to get a clearer picture. "Are the two of you happy?" Darien asked slowly, trying to figure out where he wanted the conversation to go now.

"Yes. I have never been happier than I have been while I was here. I love the job, I'm in love again with a wonderful woman. I love the people here. I love everything about this place. It feels like home. I'd be devastated if I were to lose it all. I was going to ask your sisters if I could be hired on for the summer as well. I'd like to make this my permanent home." Andrew rubbed at his jaw. "As for Serena, I've never seen her happier. Oh I'm sure she was happy in Florida, but I didn't get to see her for such long periods of time. Kind of my fault. But since she's been here, except for the moments she's had to deal with you, she's been beaming and walking on air. I think this place has done her good. It's done us both a world of good."

"You talk as if you spent a lot of time apart."

"More time than I cared for. I married too young, too much got in the way of my marriage and started to break it apart. Over time it was almost unmanageable and there needed to be a serious change. Now mistakes have been fixed and I get to spend a lot more time with her than before. If I were to do it all over again, I'd change a few things. I'd never let her get so far away from me. I'd never let anything interfere with my family. We've managed to weather all the rough straits and we've only strengthened our relationship. I don't think we've ever been closer than we are now. I'm so appreciative of our bond."

There was a few moments that ticked by them as Darien moved things around in his mind. "Why do you love her?"

Andrew smiled as he reflected over the question though it didn't need much thought. "I love everything about her. How her eyes light up when I enter a room or she's thought of something incredibly clever. How the sun reflects off her blond strands. How she has an amazing personality and a great sense of humor. I love her so much that if anything were to happen to this love, I'd be forever short of breath as to finish it would just rake it through my dead heart for her. Without her its pointless to even breathe."

Darien's heart twisted painfully in his chest. Those feelings that he described were fairly accurate to his own and he hated that they were talking about the same woman. She was already tied to one who'd laid those feelings bare, but she chose to cheat and be with the other, but for how long and in what condition would she leave his heart if she refused to leave the first? He couldn't survive her. He stood feeling loaded down and it was hard to move. "You should tell her that sometime. It might make things easier and you'll be able to keep her forever." It was painful advice, but he had to have a fighting chance if the same ending faced him as it did Darien. "But maybe sometime next week, all right?" The last thing Darien wanted was for Andrew to go spouting these things now. He still had to deal with his own thoughts and feelings. Drunk, Andrew was a poet and he'd probably succeed in sweeping Serena off her feet.

"I was planning on telling her all on Valentine's day. Women can't get too angry when its the most romantic day of the year."

"Angry?" Darien asked slowly as he pushed himself to his feet and paused to hear Andrew's answer.

"Yeah, for not telling her everything." Andrew smiled but it didn't quite reach his eyes as if he was already worrying over it. "There needs to be some careful planning and ground work first. I can't just spring it on her."

Darien took a deep breath to lessen the pain in his chest. "Valentine's day sounds like the perfect day." He'd just have to get something in there first, something that made it impossible for Serena to stay with Andrew no matter what the blond said. He was just too selfish to let anyone else have her quite yet. He turned and left the blond man.

Andrew went back to collecting the cards and chips as Darien reached the door. He had more questions as he left than he had coming in and hardly any answers for his original set of questions. And the answers he got didn't help him in any way. The other man loved the woman still standing at the door almost as much as he did.

Serena grabbed his lapels and dragged him the rest of the way out of the room, he had half a mind to remember to close the doors. "Well? How'd he take it?" Her eyes were frantic and Darien put his hands over hers, trying to calm her.

Though there was a big lead ball in his stomach as he agreed to do something he promised himself he wouldn't do. "We'll do it your way and have a secret affair. I couldn't tell him, not with the state he's in." For one thing Darien learned about Andrew, and what he didn't want to crush, was that Andrew loved and trusted Serena even if the feelings weren't reciprocated exactly the same way. Andrew had put his entire heart in her hands and Darien was afraid that even with white glove treatment she'd turn it into ash. That was something he couldn't do to the man in there. He had too golden of a heart.

Serena looked floored by the news. He'd thought she'd be happier. "I- oh- well..." She looked away from him and he reached out to touch her she moved her arm out of his reach. "How exactly do we do that?" It was suddenly like he was the bad guy and was stepping out on _his_ marriage vows to be with her. Darien felt the first strokes of anger at her beginning to pick up in his chest. He might be unable to keep away from her, but he wasn't the bad guy here. The only one that was, was Serena for not telling Andrew the truth when it would have been easier to do so. Then there might never have been a good time. People didn't have days where they didn't love someone and still love them with such a passion afterward.

"The way we have been going, I suppose. Though I'd only assumed it to be temporary." His words were cruel and they hit each button exactly the way they were intended but he didn't want them to, they just came out. "How have you done it with your other lovers?"

Serena's eyes were huge and hurt. "I've never done something like this." Then she whirled on her heel and stormed off, becoming the victim in this little angled affair centered around her.

He knew chasing her wasn't going to solve anything, he'd mucked it up again. How did he always end up the one at fault?

–

EAN: Whew that was a long chapter and emotionally intense. I hoped you all enjoyed it and we'll be leaving our couple there for a short commercial break.


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

–

AN: Ok, so this is probably the last chapter you'll get before the big reveal... dumb-de-dumn... not that it's all that unexpected. You do know right, that I never get a reviewer going: "Rakusa, I think you need to wait to have others learn about these two. It's more exciting to see the perils they get themselves into than just the lovely dovey stuff..."

AN2: Right, so I had/have an AN that I moved for another chapter but I think I'm going to shorten the sentiments here. The original was half a page. 3 promises about this story. 1. No Serena pregnant by accident arcs. Raye's already so and I don't think this story can handle two of them. Now... if it was intentional... oops... (NOT going to happen! Maybe a different story if it were a comedy). 2. Nothing forced. Often times its the mental trauma that's worse than the physical. The body heals. There was a reason I added this but I don't think its going to play out in the new version. 3. The reason for the shortening of this AN is because I had already planned to mention this then I was asked and I wrote about it earlier. Esmee is just nosy but she's lazy. I put that in there because people see things that aren't always there. It's more of a perception. We like to pretend that we never thought someone was planing ill behind our backs when it doesn't happen but _sometimes _we still thought it at one point. But the opposite is true as well, it can come out of left field at times and hit you on the back of your head.

AN3-other story blurbs: I'm going to edit ZZZ's second chapter. I realize I was reaching too far with it. I just had some funny lines in there and I'm going to try and keep them but make it cleaner. It was intended as a sort of Halloween rip since that's when I started writing it and I thought it was funny. I've got to script an outline for it and then start updating for you guys. Betraying the Heart- if ever brought up was intentionally short because of a few reasons, 1. it was a challenge to myself, 2. I have always thought if they just talked to each other we can save ourselves a hundred pages of grief, 3. I wanted to work on something else that was semi-light and fluffy while we have this epic. In that case I just edited something I had already written. So please don't hate me for working on other projects while writing this. It's my process. :) It helps get this story out too! And Cactus Ambush (there are others I'm sure, Endymion's next chapter is a stumper and I'm working on fixing something I had already written since I edited the few previous chapters and it no longer works. Bare with me there.) But I digress, CA- I'm still going to edit that one. I just need to refresh my memory about the American Southwest since I was there last. My trip there gave me new ideas. I just have to recall them or find my notes... oops.

* * *

So much for continuing on the way they had been.

Serena slumped over the desk and laid her forehead against the wood's smooth finish. She was tempted to lift it only to let it slam back down again. If she did it hard enough or often enough she might be able to knock herself out and get a moment of blissful peace.

What would it solve? Not much more than her current unhappiness. But it would only cause more mayhem around her and then people would start to fuss about her again. She'd never see him. Not that she saw him now. He'd holed himself away at the Ranch. Promised her it was about his prized cow. It was a cow all right, that cow was her!

He hadn't left it once to come back to town and see her. Hadn't invited her out either. In fact she hadn't talked to him since he'd made the comment and slipped away. He hadn't even touched her during that whole exchange. He hated her now in a way he never had before. She hated herself. Hated herself for the whole bloody mess she'd created.

He'd promised her, but now it really was over. He saw the error of his ways and realized he'd clouded lust with love. He was over _her_.

"Well don't you look terrible?" Hina leaned against the door frame and with a moan she turned her head to rest her cheek on the warm surface. She blinked wearily at Hina. She'd never felt so different from the woman as she did today in her sweats and ponytail. She hadn't even bothered to get properly dressed and Hina was forging yet another fashion statement. How to look French without the cliches. The woman was frowning lightly at her as her brown eyes rimmed with a medium amount of black flickered over her. "Why are you moping about? You won the man, if he can't see what he's giving up in me, I can't call him quite a catch."

"That made absolutely no sense." She wiped at her eyes and pushed herself up to a sitting position trying to make herself at least presentable. She never felt inadequate that that way before Hina. "What are you doing here anyway?"

"Well I came to gloat but its not as fun as I thought it would be when this all blew up in your face. It's not exactly the way I thought it would go down. I was hoping for a fist fight and Darien's name raked through mud." Hina lifted her shoulders and let them drop again. The black gauze (almost but not quite a poncho, it was too round for that) fluttered as she did so. "And what I said made perfect sense. It was never about you doll-face. I just like real life drama. This though has been so _boring_. Even the drama now is just lame. You're here. He's there. And nobody's shouting or screaming. He made this big fuss about keeping you but now he's nowhere to be found. So much for that. He's such a loser, how could I have not seen that before?"

"He's not." Serena felt it was important to defend him even though she felt like bashing him over the head herself. "He's just mad at me."

Hina yawned loudly. "He could at least show it for me. Have some huge spectacle."

"I'm sorry that we didn't stage a whole production for you. I'll be sure to put on my dance shoes and rehearse my lines for when you come back. But you have to leave first."

Brown eyes flashed back to her in annoyance. Then a slow smile unfurled. "You're right. I've spent far too long here not getting anything of worth out of it. Please do call me when you're ready for the big reveal. I'm sure it'll be epic and you'll ensure that it is. I'll be back in the states sometimes next month. Make sure you have it coordinated by then. And if I do miss it, please feel free to have an encore or at least a good narrative."

"Of course." Serena had no intention of following through with her demented request but whatever it took to get Hina out of there, then great. "When will you be leaving?"

"In the hour." Hina turned and practically bounced out in her heels, the burgundy dress beneath the black gauze was not appropriate for the weather but she seemed unfazed by it. Hina turned at the last minute and smirked at Serena. "You do realize, of course, that I'm not leaving because you want me gone, but that you've just given me a reason to leave?"

"What kind of reason would that be?" Serena asked wearily. She wasn't sure what she'd said to set Hina off. Darien had probably been right, she shouldn't have antagonized Hina but the woman wouldn't _go_ and she felt she had to be more direct. She was just taking up space for people who came to enjoy the amenities.

"Oh you'll see. It's going to be a great surprise." She gave a little laugh. "Better clean yourself up before it gets here though." With that Hina was gone and Serena collapsed against the back of her chair. She ran a hand through her hair and grimaced. The water had been out again but this time it decided not to run at all in her room. The electricity had been on the blitz but for the last few hours it had been up. That was the only reason she was here.

Serena pushed herself to her feet and decided that she wasn't going to get any work done. She left the office and stomped down the stairs. She didn't know what she was going to do but it knocked right into her before she could really bother to think about it.

"Ok, seriously are you stalking me or something?"

Michelangelo laughed as he held Serena steady. She had practically run headlong into him. "I was on my way to see Mina actually to discuss class sizes but now it seems as if you need me more than I need bigger groups. Come on, we're going to go have a chat." He directed her towards the movie theater but they didn't go in. Instead they skirted the premise and found a small park that was vacated during the winter season with all the activities near the mountains at this time of year.

It was a sunny enough day that it wasn't cold. At least not outwardly. Serena settled onto a cold bench but she ignored it and huddled into her jacket, turning her face up towards the only heat emitter. "It really wasn't that necessary to bring me all the way out here to talk. We've done plenty of that elsewhere."

"Yes but we've never cut straight through the bull. I was content to know that we both knew what was being said in what wasn't. Now I think its time we laid it all out plainly."

"I haven't a slightest clue what-"

"Get it a rest Serena. At least respect me enough to admit to what I already know." Michelangelo cut across her and she huddled deeper into her coat.

"Fine. I guess the secret really isn't such a secret."

"Oh I think you're safe there. Only I seem to be aware of exactly what's going on. Now what seems to be the problem between you and Shields now?"

"I'm not entirely sure. At first I would have said it was because Darien wanted me to come clean with Andrew but then something happened when he went to talk to Andrew himself. He came back out of that room and told me we'd continue having an affair. But then the next time I see him, he's headed for the hills. He's out on the ranch and isn't likely to come back any time soon."

"Is he waiting for you to tell Andrew? Is it some sort of ultimatum in silent form?" Michelangelo unzipped his coat showing her exactly how different the two of them were as he sat beside her.

"I don't think so..."

"Why won't you tell Andrew?" Michelangelo looked her directly in the eye and made her think about her own response carefully.

"I made Andrew a promise. I can't break that promise by calling it off with him. I owe it to Andrew to stick it out and not spill everything and telling him will only complicate matters further. Because nothing will change and then Andrew will start treating Darien differently and all of this will fall apart so quickly-"

"Look forget all of that. Why not just tell Darien? Surely that would solve matters. Tell him what's really going on. The two of you can then work it out. He's already in deep, a little more won't hurt and might make things smoother between the two of you."

"I don't know-"

"Do you trust him?" Michelangelo tossed aside all of her doubts, seeing the real problem instantly.

"Of course I do."

"Then why can't you trust him to know that he loves you without all this stuff in the way? Why can't you trust him to know his own heart?"

"Because it's not him that I don't trust, it's myself! Nothing in my life has ever worked out and I know it's me. I know I'm the reason why its all fallen apart. It's better if it breaks here and now before I get in too deep, before I ruin what I have with Andrew too." It felt good to admit all of that out loud even if it did just kind of blurt out of her without forethought.

Michelangelo shook his head not believing a word of her backpedaling and was the voice of reason once more. "Eventually it _will_ come out to Andrew. Somehow someway when you least expect it. It's better to control the message, to own your own actions before someone else casts another slant on them. Something you can't come back from. Or it'll come to the point in time when you must make a decision. But it might be better to know your answer ahead of time. Who would you choose if it came down to Andrew or Darien?"

Serena sighed and removed her ponytail to run a hand through her long hair starting at her forehead. "I already made my decision about that and it started a long time ago. But I'd rather have both in my life forever. I've already tried to live without Andrew and I hated it but I don't think I could survive even half as long without Darien." She gave a bitter laugh. "Half? Who am I kidding? I wouldn't last a month if I couldn't even see him. Look at me and how readily I fall apart without him!"

Michelangelo gave her a once over much as Hina had and nodded. "You need a shower then you will go to your man and beg forgiveness."

She sighed wearily and looked at the sun's position in the sky. "You're right, but tomorrow, when I look like something more than pale and horrid. By then maybe the water will come back on."

Michelangelo rolled his eyes. "I can see that I've gotten through to you. Just use Mina's, I've got a spare key." He pressed it into her hand and then pushed her on her way. "I'll be in the living room and walk you back when you've finished."

Serena agreed and together they went to Mina's. She was holding back. She would take the day to think it over and come to a decision about what Michelangelo suggested. No matter what though she'd push through Darien's door tomorrow and figure something out with him. Even if his reason was perfectly legit, these things needed to be sorted out, at least a little.

–

So much for wooing Serena completely away from Andrew.

Here he was standing in the empty office, Serena's computer shut and a coffee cup in his hand as he stared out at the life below.

He was supposed to be coming up with ways to make it impossible for Serena to stay with the blond, not push her away. The fact that his cow had its offspring was only a kick in the pants for him. He had hoped that some time spent apart might make her more keen for him and have her waiting impatiently for his return in the one place she'd known he'd be, eventually.

Well that didn't work. Seemed as if his half-baked plan went awol somewhere near its conception. All he's managed to do was push her further towards her husband and away from him. The problem with Serena was that she made him react without thinking it through first. Often times he reacted badly. Now for the first time in his life he was unsure with how to proceed and it just made him even more irritated.

He was still absolutely inflamed by her gall in believing that she could just string two men along. Like she had been. Like she still was. Hell he'd agreed to go along with it before and he'd just dug himself a little deeper by confirming it all over again with his push for solidarity standing in her life. He'd caved like a weakling at the first sight of those big blue eyes glittering up at him in fear and pleading to take her side. He'd always take her side. He just wished it wasn't so difficult or opposed to his own views.

Darien should have just stood aside and let Andrew patch things up with his relationship. As long as Darien was in the picture, he was just graying the issue. Serena wouldn't even think about leaving him as long as he was available to be had. But on the other hand, if Andrew did manage to pull her completely back into his grasp, then that was it. He wouldn't have Serena at all, he'd lose her completely and he couldn't have that.

When was it right to be selfish?

Now, for the first time in his life he was unsure how to proceed. He was unsure what he wanted. It was a new position to be in. He loved her, he knew that. He loved her in a way he had never loved another woman. Not Mia, and definitely not Hina even though he'd been engaged to her. Serena made him feel for the first time in his life what it was really like to _really _love. But he thought loving her came at too high of a price. He couldn't even fight for her. To do so would destroy a man he truly cared for. (That revelation had been a surprise too).

Then there was the fact that all of their names would be mud in this community. His actions, done knowingly and unknowingly, would destroy what was left of Amy and Raye's too. Their businesses would be in shambles. The resort would have to close and they'd have to move from their home. Darien could handle that, he had a life outside of this town that he could easily go back to. Serena and Andrew had a life somewhere else too, though a flicker of a thought intruded there but was lost to the knowledge that Serena could never go back home again. Her family was gone and the family she cherished and acted as if it were her own were actually her husband's. She'd lose that too and wouldn't even have his to compensate. Not that she'd shared any of that with him, he'd just had to deduce it from the clues he'd been given.

He stood by the window contemplating this for far longer than he should, he had work to be done, high class, high sensitivity, very important work to be doing. He couldn't be worrying over his own little love affair that in the grand scheme of things _didn't_ matter outside his own little world. But there he stood, coffee cup in hand and watched all the happy people pass by him.

His fingers clutched the cup harder as he saw Serena, she had her hair up in a style only she could pull off and she was dancing around a tall blond man. She was holding his hand and talking with him as if she didn't have a care in the world. That man wasn't Andrew and he could feel the cup straining under his fingers, tiny fissures were forming, invisible to the human eye below the glassy surface.

Jealousy hit fast and hot into his gut. He wasn't even allowed to be so friendly in public with her for fear that people would realize that there was more going on. Yet here she was with yet another man. Just how many of them was she actually with? It was a question he could no longer idly sit by and let it float in his mind. The answer might not be one he liked but he'd have a concrete number to face. She knew all there was to know about him, or at least what was important, he was barely scratching at the top layer.

Just what had gone down in Delware that made it hard for her to return? That she had to run off to Florida and use it as a shield from going North, unless it was far west? Perhaps she couldn't return, that there were skeletons in her closet that restricted her from doing so. And did Andrew know? It would explain why he allowed her to get so far from him.

Speaking of the man, he had been a mess that night. Was he worried that her attention was waning? He was married to the woman. At any moment he could decide to change focus and decide his marriage was more important than anything else and take her away to work on it. Of course she wasn't a piece of luggage, she wouldn't go as easy as that. Or so Darien hoped. That might be her perfect solution, disappearing within a moment's notice so she didn't have to deal with anything.

As he watched Michelangelo gave Serena a hug and then left her standing there while he went somewhere else. What Michelangelo did didn't matter to Darien, the only thing that ever mattered was what _she _did. She was facing him and she had pulled back her shoulders, ready to start towards him and a smile tilted his lips. She was coming to him. She had chosen _him _over all the other males in this area.

He half turned, wanting to meet her at the door when she finally crossed the distance but stopped as someone did the same but on skis right next to her. He didn't know what was said but she had thrown her arms around the man and her embrace was returned.

It was her husband.

The sheer size was a decent giveaway. Had Andrew ignored his advice and decided to woo his wife back? It sure seemed like it as she nodded and went with him towards the lodge. He pulled himself away from the window that only offered him bad news and set off to work. He'd find out in time. He was sure it would be hard to miss. He _told_ himself that he could wait it out until he could see what happened next.

His empty cup lay broken on the floor where he had once been standing.

–

Serena's intentions had been to go back to work after Michelangelo left her. She would finish for the day and then go to the ranch if she had to confront Darien on his behavior. Instead Andrew surprised her with his timing. It really was _very _good timing.

Andrew had caught her before she could resolve anything in her own mind. He had announced something privately in her ear that she didn't believe would ever come and she had been so happy and concerned for him at the same time that she vowed to spend the rest of the day with him. It seemed to be exactly what he wanted and they hadn't wasted a moment. The day stopped being about her and begun to be about him.

Their day together was fun, they spent time acting like kids. They'd gone downhill skiing, they'd gone ice skating, they'd made snow angels where the snow had been untouched. Andrew even let her bury him in the snow, it compacted a lot harder than sand did and it took them awhile to get him out of it. But she had plenty of blackmail pictures. They drank hot chocolate by the fire. They didn't once mention anyone else. It was a day just for the two of them to be kids again, all the worries and the burdens and their mistakes were just gone for the day. True she couldn't put it completely out of her mind, it was there, but she didn't dwell on it like she would have if she wasn't so focused on him.

The day had passed her by and she found herself looking at the clock as Andrew slept with his head on her shoulder while they sat on the couch watching one of his favorite movies. It was far too late to be going anywhere and she was kind of trapped.

She had been the only one to know what was really going on and so had been the only one he could tell. She was glad he did, that had taken one thing off of her list of problems. She was also glad to still be his first go to person. That despite their unspoken problems that they were still so close. She ran her fingers through his blond hair. She felt like she had betrayed him with how much time she'd spent away from him. Sure they both had other jobs but they had come here together to try and work things out. They hardly ever saw each other most days. It was something she resolved must not be allowed to continue. They couldn't grow any further apart. Though she had to admit they had made great strides to repairing the torn relationship they'd had since coming here.

Since making that decision, she felt herself relaxing with a clear path ahead of her for both her problems and her eyes closed on their own accord before the credits ran.

–

In the morning she found herself lying length-wise with Andrew and his arm around her. She snuggled in, it was far too early for either of them to be up yet and there wasn't enough room for the both of them.

When they finally got up for the day they breakfasted in the dinning room and ate a lot of Lita's delicious food. Andrew's arm was along the back of her chair. Mina had come in and when her eyes rested on the two of them sitting so cozy she changed her intention and only grabbed something to go. Serena watched her curiously but her thoughts couldn't put anything together for Zolton joined them.

He was by himself and he had a whole tray full of food. He chatted with them for while. Then when there was a lag in the conversation Serena finally learned what his intentions really were. "I managed to track down the poison to a specific area, it was in the D.C. region rather than the general one I had given you before. It was a specific strain of the plant that was more combatant to occasional cold weather. From there I analyzed and cross-referenced the residues from other chemicals or substances it might have gotten into contact with. I even found the glass. Do you usually drink Alaskan Ice Teas?"

"Eh, no?" Serena didn't even know if she knew for sure what it was.

"I figured as much. So it's someone who has either been on a resort setting in Alaska or who is very familiar with drinks. It had enough sweetness and alcohol in it to mask the poison's taste. It also had enough in there to mix too much with the natural progression the poison would have taken. More and more I'm thinking not only was it intentional, but they knew what they were doing with the alcohol. If you'd died it would have looked like an alcohol overdose and not what it really was. There would have been special tests to look for poison and they wouldn't have looked for this poison."

Andrew lifted his other hand to cut Zolton off. "Zolt man, you're bombarding her and that is very depressing news."

"Oh? I thought it was good news. We're closer to narrowing down who did it to her." Zolton rose to his feet, his meal done. "I'm sorry if I was a hindrance."

"No, wait, you weren't. It is very good news. I'm just in shock. It was a lot to take in and I'm not sure what feelings I should be feeling." Serena held him in place to apologize for her state of paralysis.

Zolton nodded. "Well I better be going anyway, it was nice talking with the two of you."

After he'd left Andrew slanted an amused smile down at her. "Think Amy's told him he can't just jump into the topic he wants to talk about?"

Serena shook her head. "Amy does the same thing. That's why they're great together. Or at least part of the reason."

"How are you feeling about all of that?"

"Fine. I mean I already knew most of it. It's nice to know that the case is being followed and that there has been an update with a good lead."

Andrew nodded and ran his thumb over her upper arm without realizing. It was a somewhat comforting gesture. "I just wish they were more than once a month."

Serena laughed and rested her head on his shoulder. "Then we'd know and we can't have such interesting talks with Zolton."

Andrew chuckled too and kissed the top of her head. "That's right. I would miss these talks."

He seemed reluctant to leave her and she knew that _they _needed to talk but she was reluctant to tell him about all of her transgressions, especially in such a public setting. She'd admit freely to the fact that she was avoiding the subject. "Talking can be good though."

"Look, tomorrow I'm going to be up early to do a check. After that we can talk, ok? There's a lot I need to tell you." Andrew surprised her by this announcement and Serena for a moment almost volunteered to go with him so they could talk then instead but held back and she nodded.

"That sounds like the perfect plan because there's something I need to tell you too."

"It can wait though until tomorrow right? I have to go to work." He glanced at his watch. "In about twenty minutes." His gear was all ready and waiting, he'd already delayed as long as he could and she gave another short nod.

"We'll talk tomorrow afternoon." She decided that she'd need to have it out with Darien before that. She wondered if she could handle two big revelations in as many days. But she'd have to, she'd already put all of this off for as long as she could, it was starting to get ridiculous. She'd tell Darien today and would go see him at his ranch.

Except things didn't go exactly how the plan forming in her head dictated.

For starters she hadn't expected to be pulled off her feet on her way back to her room for her coat and dragged into an empty room with a hand over her mouth. She struggled against her grabber before realizing who it was and gave his hand a bite for good measure. "What do you think you're doing?" She snapped when he yelped and removed his hand from those wicked teeth.

Darien was scowling at her but she could see the amusement lurking in his gaze before before his face fell into something even more serious. "We are long overdue for a talk."

"You didn't have to drag me off like that. If anyone saw we'd be facing some serious questions."

"So glad you've brought that up. It's exactly what I wanted to do myself, ask you some very _serious_ questions which will get _serious _answers. I'm not letting you off the hook anymore, you're not going to spin this around and leave me wondering what just happened."

She kept the smile from creeping up but she was privately grinning and she couldn't help but put a dig in there. "Must mean I'm good at my job."

"Focus Serena."

Oh she was, on his face, his hair, his _body_. All of which she hadn't seen for days and she ate all of him with her eyes like a woman starving. In many ways she was, it was too long of needlessly self-imposed distance. She wanted to take him to task for it. It was one thing if necessary another altogether when he decided to go for no particular reason.

"How's the cow?"

"Both the cow and calf are fine." He waved it away. "That's beside the point."

"All of this just sounds so _serious._" Serena jibbed just because it had been the word of choice for the moment and he nodded but she'd gotten what she'd wanted out of him, the smallest of lifts at the corner of his mouth.

"It seems like that's something you really can't be." He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "All right, we are going to do this here. Nobody will walk in on us because nobody knows where we are." There was something to his plan that she felt linger as a doubt but she couldn't pin it down and so she sat across from him. He had his elbows on his knees and his fingers tented and had look of concentration on his face as if he hadn't thought out what he was going to ask her and now only had a small amount of questions that he _could _ask her and had to choose wisely.

Perhaps that was true, she'd probably only hang on for a few before she got cagey and ran away. Especially if he continued taking this long to get one out. "Are you having an intimate relationship with Michelangelo?"

Whatever she'd expected him to ask her that certainly wasn't it and she sprang forward in shock. "What? _No._"

He believed her at her word and drew in a deep breath. "I've been thinking about what I said to you the other day..."

"Are you taking it back?" Her fingers were white as she clenched her hands into fists on her knees. Was he backing out completely on her? Had he only been concerned about Michelangelo in regards to the rule he had laid down at the beginning?

He waved that aside not even bothering to give her words real thought. "I recall another person saying something and backing out on it just as quickly." He let her hang there for a second before giving her a reprieve. "No, I'm not. But I'm not going to be the only one making concessions anymore."

She understood what he meant and she knew she had to finally tell him the truth, she had been on her way to do it anyway. Perhaps he'd wait more patiently if he knew there was a deadline. She had to tell him, there wasn't a way out of it, was there? "What kind of concessions?" She'd hear him out first and then decide where to go from there.

"I do not want to see you kiss Andrew." He speared her an icy look. "I've had to see it far too much as it is. That means no inviting him here and if we get into an argument I do not want you to go running to him or kissing him to get back at me."

"That's... reasonable." She conceded that it wouldn't be a huge issue. She blinked as if blinded, now that he'd brought it up... she realized that they hadn't shared even a pretend kiss in weeks. Interesting. What did _that _mean?

"I know there are going to be occasions where you can't help it, but I would like you to not actively seek it out." She nodded, hoping that would be the only thing he demanded of her and if she told him all then he'd relax a little when he happened to see something he didn't like. "I'm coming first from now on unless its something major."

Her face scrunched up. "I don't know what you mean by that."

"If and when your conflicted between spending time with Andrew or spending time with me, I come first, every time. If we both need to talk to you, I'm the one you deter to unless he's got some type of emergency that you two need to deal with."

"That's very well and good to agree with now, but it'll make it hard to maintain appearances. I don't think that's something I can keep." Serena folded her arms, suddenly he'd put her back up after that reasonable kiss demand. The rest weren't going to fly and she wasn't sure she could agree to them all. "Any other ridiculous demands?"

"Just one. You won't like this one."

"Then why make it?" She huffed.

"Because it is something _I need_. I want you to tell me, afterward of course, whenever the two of you get truly intimate." She just stared at him for a minute, an entire minute ticked by on the face of his watch, but he wasn't watching it, he was watching all these different emotions cross her features, it was quite memorizing actually, and somehow enchanting. She finally settled on anger, and he'd known that would be the case as she pushed to her feet raving.

"So you can keep track? How sick and depraved! There's something wrong with you if you'll think I'd do anything of the sort. Isn't there an honor you're supposed to stick to-" Whatever honor she was talking about, he didn't want to hear it as he got to his feet too, but he didn't dare touch her, it would be his undoing and he'd retract his demand and that's not something he could live with. This time he wouldn't be the bad guy, he wouldn't let her turn him into that again. He was the victim and she'd own up to her true role now.

"No. Not to keep track, but to keep myself calm and sane. I'd go mad if I had to imagine the figure. Do you realize that I think you've been going at it like bunnies?"

"But _we've_ been-"

"I know. But in my head you leave my bed and slip into his and it doesn't stop, all night long. Plus he's got the added bonus that he gets to see you on days that I don't. Part of me wants to keep up."

Her face contorted again and she opened her mouth about to say many different things, not all of them nice, and some made her blush. Finally she gave a sharp nod. "Fine, I can handle that."

"Do you have anything for me?"

She thought he meant confessions and at the moment she was so furious with him and his outlandish demands that she was rethinking telling him anything at all. That last one was akin to being personally investigated, like he had asked her how many men she'd been with! Rage boiled beneath her skin and the glare she leveled at him made his hands raise in protest.

"I _meant_ for the time being at least, now that you've reminded me, if you had any concessions you wanted _me _to make."

A hiss of breath escaped her lips as the anger was leeched out of her as quickly as it'd swelled. Perhaps it wasn't a behind the scenes investigation but rather a frank discussion about experience if the metaphor still held up. He was offering to share his own number to put his curiosity at ease. The not knowing was killing him and she hadn't helped by dangling different thoughts. She gave in to him, more relaxed now but that cagey feeling was starting to bubble up. "Not at the moment but I don't imagine I will."

His hands reached her before she knew she'd tried to escape, and he had a raspy laugh as he brought her head down onto his shoulder. "I've embarrassed you. It wasn't my intention. It was just what I needed to continue on with this situation." One of his hands kept her head where it was while the other ran down her back in soothing motions. He found it incredibly endearing.

Her hands came up between them and rested on his chest and though she didn't press hard he let her go so she could put some distance between them. Her hands didn't move when she was able to lean back to look up at him and for that he was eternally grateful whether she was aware of it or not. "I can understand that. I really do. I went off into a jealous rage when Hina was in your room and felt it the entire time she was around. I know its not easy to see someone you love in a potentially intimate situation with someone else."

He nodded, placing a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "I came to all of these conclusions on the fly because frankly yesterday I was terrified."

Her eyes widened and she looked up at him with concern etched on her features. "Terrified? Of what?"

Darien let out a bark of laughter and dragged her hips closer to his. "That Andrew had swept you off your feet and that you'd go back to him completely and leave me in the dust." That fear had only settled when he'd seen the two of them acting no different than all the times he'd seen them together recently since their return to Pony.

She was frowning now and he tried to reduce the lines that she created by easing it away again. "Why on Earth would you think that?"

"Because you'll see when he finally gets around to telling you everything he hasn't yet. When he does you'll realize your husband is still completely smitten with you and it won't be easy to turn him deny him access to what he technically legally should."

Serena ignored that last part of his sentence focusing instead on what made absolutely no sense to her. "Smitten with me? Still? Where did you get the idea for something like that nonsense?"

"You really have absolutely no inkling do you?" He held her face between his palms and he shook his head in wonder. "He's in love with you."

"He's not." Serena denied instantly. "That last demand won't be very hard to comply with-"

His words crossed over her second sentence, focusing instead on what he heard first. "Oh he is, he ranted on and on about his feelings for you that night I went to confront him. Andrew's regretful that he let so much space get between the two of you but he's hoping that it wasn't too late."

Serena was going to kick Andrew if she ever got the chance. Serena decided right now would be the perfect opportunity to come clean with everything. To hell with it! "Well he's right. We were very close for a long time and then things happened, life happened you could say, and we kind of grew apart. This trip was to try and bring us closer together. Andrew and I have always been very good friends we started out that way and continued on that path for a long time until something happened which drove a wedge between us."

Darien nodded and his hands were distracting, she had trouble concentrating on her story but he pressed her forward.

"We got here and decided that we needed to work on our relationship from the ground up. Start over in many ways. We had promised that sex wouldn't be involved." It had been taken off the table, there were too many things in the way for them to cross that boundary and really Serena hadn't thought it would be an issue between them, never had in the past. It had surprised her when she found them making out on the couch but her emotions had been running high and she had suddenly been aware of the dangers of living in such tight quarters with a man for so long. She was pleased when the situation had never arisen again, they had both learned from their slip.

"I can acknowledge that you were frustrated when you met me. But-" His eyes slammed against hers. "Promised that there _wouldn't_ be?"

"_Yes_." Serena stressed trying to get him to understand without having to spell it all out. Maybe she could keep something in tact- hell she had to just tell him but he kept distracting her with these questions and she was so programed to deflect, respond without really answering, that it kept slipping further and further away from her. She wanted to just shut him up and confess everything without being interrupted but knew that wouldn't happen. She thought maybe it would be better going back to the ranch so others didn't overhear if it got loud and angry. So _he _couldn't run before she got a chance to explain everything because she knew he'd be pissed.

"I'm trying to understand the time table. How long were you living apart?"

Serena bit her lip and wanted to deflect this because her answer would cause serious questions and she wanted to get him away from here first. "Look, perhaps we should just-"

"So I'm just a frustration release because you can't have it with your husband?" A black brow lifted clearly not pleased with that idea.

"Er..." He hadn't been, but in a teeny tiny way he had too. She hadn't been with a guy in _ages _at that point and she had seen him and felt an overwhelming attraction to him she couldn't deny but there was something else there too, something that had spurred her on, and now she recognized that as love.

He surprised her again with another laugh. "Well I guess I can accept that. What's done is done. Is there any chance you'll leave me when Andrew confesses his feelings?"

"He's not going to." Serena shook her head. "Andrew doesn't have feelings like that for me. Whatever else you think, you're mistaken on that accord."

"He _does_." But he spoke before she could argue more. "I just want to know what you'll do."

"If Andrew ever confesses to an intense burning love for me then of _course _I'll leave you for him." She added an eye roll just for good measure.

"Witch." He dragged her closer and squeezed her behind. "All right I've gotten what I came for. Come spend the night with me. I'll expect you around nine." Then he'd let her go bereft without even a kiss goodbye and she was still trying to wrap her mind around it as she called out to him to wait but he still disappeared into the lodge.

She lowered her arm and shook her head. "So much for coming clean." She ignored the fact that he'd in a way just set up a booty call, she knew it wasn't like that and if it was, he was just punishing her for the set up. Serena ran her hands down her face. This was turning into a disaster. She had no idea just telling someone the truth could be so hard, it had always been so easy in the past. _Right_. She'd mocked herself, only when they listened.

_Tonight_, she vowed. She'd gag him if she had to just to get it all out. Maybe tie him down onto the bed as well but she couldn't open up his ears and make him comprehend. That was up to him, but she might have fun trying... perhaps she could find some fuzzy handcuffs to bring over...

–

In the interim, she decided on a swim.

She had just finished her tenth lap when she came up for air and found a pair of killer legs standing near the edge. She lost the grip of her fingers in surprise and went under for a second before coming back up spluttering. It took her a minute to realize it was just Mina.

Although it didn't look like Mina. Though Serena knew she didn't look like herself either with the swim cap and goggles and a lot more of their bodies revealed by the tight swimsuits than their everyday were allowed, except for what Mina had orchestrated when she first got there.

"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you. Like minds I guess." Mina did a stellar dive into the lane next to her and reappeared several feet away cutting across the water's edge. She got to the end of the lane, did a flip and made great progress back. She stopped before doing a flip again and rested on the side with Serena. "How long have you been here?"

Serena shrugged. "I think I've been here for..." She glanced at the clock. "Twenty minutes."

Mina nodded. "How many laps?"

"Ten."

Another nod. "I'll go do eight, rest for a few minutes with you and then we can race if you'd like."

Serena opened her mouth to say she didn't know about that, seeing how fast Mina could go she'd probably burn her energy off by the time she got through the first length and that was the deep end. Mina didn't wait around to find out Serena's answer and went to work cutting back and forth in her lane.

Serena didn't do anything but watch her and as she did she realized Mina got slower with each lap. Was it intentional? Was it to put her at ease? Everybody got slower but the gaps seemed somewhat larger than she expected with Mina's skill. Finally Mina's warm up came to an end and she rested on the rope next to Serena. They could very well stretch them out but there was nothing else to do. It was too deep to stand even on this end comfortably and wadding would just defeat the purpose of a break.

"Can I ask you some questions?" Mina inquired in a tone Serena didn't usually associate with the other girl. There wasn't a hint of humor in her voice.

Serena felt like Mina was about to ask her something important and probably game changing. She wondered what that could possibly be. "Sure. Ask away." She would answer whatever she could and admit she couldn't if it wasn't possible at the moment.

"Is it true that you and Andrew lived together in high school?"

"Where did you hear that?" It hadn't been the topic of conversation Serena expected.

"Andrew had his phone on speaker and Lizzy said something to the effect. He quickly changed it to the ear piece but I feel like he's trying to hide that fact."

"Well... it is true." Serena hadn't really told anyone in years about that. She wasn't ashamed she just didn't think to bring it up. Apparently Lizzy and her brother weren't of the same mind set all the time. Then again she didn't really want to come out and blurt that truth to Darien. He didn't need to know about that right now.

Mina nodded. "I thought so. Andrew wouldn't talk about it. Were you pregnant or something? Had your parents found out and kicked you out and you had to go live with the baby's father?"

"I don't have any kids." Serena reminded Mina, feeling a bit edgy with these questions now.

"I know that but it seemed like the result of a bad experience rather than not wanting them. I thought maybe you'd lost the baby."

Serena's nose twitched. "I have never been pregnant. Its just never seemed like the right time to think about having kids."

"Oh, well good. I would hate to think that you're with Andrew because you had been forced into the situation. It's still nice to think of you guys though as a high school sweetheart couple that made it."

"Mina..." Her tone slipped into a warning. "It wasn't like that with Andrew and me. I was best friends with his sister when I moved it. It isn't like we shared a room or anything. Andrew was firstly a really good friend then a sibling to my best friend. We didn't even date in high school. Our relationship started out slow, probably the slowest relationship in history of relationships."

Mina's eyes sparkled behind the goggles. "I'm sure there's been slower. You're together now. I just to hear about how people ended up with together."

"Is this about the man you're interested in that's married to someone else?" At Mina's surprise she sighed. "I'm not dumb, if its advice you'd wanted or a guidance I'm not going to advocate an affair. They're disastrous and hurts everyone involved even ones you wouldn't realize are invested in it. You should just back off this guy and make him come to you as a free man. If not its pointless. If you've already crossed over that mark, well, I'm not sure what the right move would be. All I can advise is going slowly and carefully."

"Sure you weren't a psychic in another life?" Mina teased, water dripped down her cheeks. "That was some good advice right there."

"If I had been, I think I would have some indication, don't you?" Serena hopped off the rope and tredded over to the edge of the pool. "Ready for that race?"

Mina joined her but in her own lane. "Sure thing!"

"How many lengths?" Serena rotated her shoulders to warm up a little.

"I think a lap should suffice. Do you agree?" At Serena's nod they both readied for their cue to start and when their eyes connected they took off. Mina beat Serena's first length by half a body but Serena made up for the distance in a perfectly executed flip. Mina had to work on straightening out but managed to keep up with Serena and her hand came out for the ledge first, winning the race. She pulled herself up onto it and moved her goggles onto her head. "Wow. That was close."

Serena joined her and took off her goggles altogether and smiled. "That was fun. We should do it again sometime. At least plan it next time. I'm sure you'll beat me by even greater distance."

"And when we do you need to teach me that spin kick. I've been working on it but I haven't seen anything like yours."

Giving her a nod, Serena pushed herself to her feet and found a whole hour had gone by between their chatting and swimming and she could feel it in her muscles. "I'm going to rinse off and then head over to the studio. I have a class this afternoon."

"See you sometime tomorrow." Mina agreed lowering herself back into the pool for more laps. Serena glanced behind before going into the locker room, thinking she'd see Mina in full form but the girl was still watching her. Seeing Serena turn she pulled her goggles back down, gave a wave and kicked off into a backstroke.

Serena let herself into the changing room and thought about that as she rinsed both her suit and her body with non-chlorine water. The other blond looked like she wanted to call out and say something more but had decided against it, surprised when she'd gotten caught and tried to cover up her actions.

She shook her head, not wanting to believe the worst of the girl, she knew Mina well enough to know she wasn't the one to poison her. Besides Mina wasn't from the D.C. area, she was was from NYC. But... no. Serena pushed that from her thoughts. There had to be another reason for Mina's sometimes strange behavior, it wasn't a guilt trip.

Quickly, she dried everything that had gotten wet and threw her stuff into a water-tight sealed package and threw it into her back with her dance clothes. She pulled the strap across her body and jogged out into the cold winter air and across town. At least she had things to keep her busy today and keep her mind off of what she would reveal tonight.

–

It was eight and she picked up her back with her overnight clothing and a change of clothes for tomorrow. Nobody would be likely to suspect she stayed the night anywhere if they happened to catch her in the hallway when she came back. She'd just leave her bag in the car until a time she could bring it in without drawing attention to it.

She had a lodge truck, finally giving up on Andrew's. She'd stay away from that for as long as she could. She was bad luck when it came to that vehicle. She pulled the door shut behind her and winced as she heard it latch wrong. Why on Earth couldn't she get that stupid thing to latch right? Andrew was already sleeping and in the morning he'd know she left since he came in after her. There was no way she was going to get back before he left. He had to be up before the sun even thought about warming their state of Delaware back on the East Coast.

Serena ran her thumb against the bridge near her eye where she felt a nerve tick. She'd have to deal with that when the time came. She and Andrew needed to talk anyway, it just wasn't the sort of intro she had planned.

Firming her shoulders she continued on her path to the truck and then out to the ranch. Darien met her at her door before she could even turn the engine off. He grabbed her pack and threaded it over his shoulder before pulling her out and into his arms.

He distracted her completely for the rest of the night. Just before she fell asleep warmly cocooned in his arms with a spitting fire and thick covers over her nude body she thought a fleeting thought of regret. She'd talk with him in the morning. He'd been too happy to slice in a word of reality and he'd pulled her along with him. He'd even taken both of their cellphones and turned them off. He'd unhooked the phone from its ringer and turned down the volume of the answering machine. Tonight was theirs.

–

A nightmare woke her up at dawn. Or maybe it was the light breaking in through the window but either way Serena found herself getting out of bed and getting dressed. She was working on autopilot and was intending to go back to the lodge. She wasn't even thinking too clearly about why or what she was doing, just doing it.

Darien stirred and blinked at her tiredly. "What are you doing?"

"Going back." She shuddered as the cold of the room seeped into her bones.

"Come back to bed." He curled into the pillow and his eyes started closing but when she shook her head he pushed himself up again. "Why not?"

"I- I have to go. I should have stayed in my room last night. It's tricky coming back in so early in the morning. I'm not usually even up so early if I'm not seen with Andrew." She found her socks and pulled them on, leaning against the bed to accomplish her task.

"Serena? Are you ok?" The blanket had slid down to his waist and she had to tear her eyes away from that expanse of muscular flesh.

"I-" She paused and wondered what she was doing. She spent a moment thinking through her course of actions and she shook her head. "I'm fine. I just have a really bad feeling. I need to get back to the lodge."

Darien slid out of bed and stepped into his jeans, pulling them on and then snagging his shirt as he came around to her side of the bed, he got it up and over his head and had to spend a second getting his arms through and smoothing it down. His hand slipped along her jaw and his thumb brushed against it in an intimate caress. "What do you want to do? Leave me here or have me come with you?"

Either way was fine with him and he was being really understanding about their change in venue and her strange behavior. Her heart swelled painfully in her chest and she took handfuls of his shirt into her hands. "_Come_." All she needed was one word for him to understand and his head dipped forward to take her lips.

"It won't take long." He went around and gathered up his stuff and she resolved that when they got back and reassured herself that everything was fine, she would tell him _everything_. There was nothing she was going to hold back anymore. She already knew she loved him and now she was going to trust him with everything and trust was based on risk. But she didn't feel like it was a risk at all, she was sure about him.

Although her plans went a little astray as she drove the lodge truck back and after getting into the apartment found that nothing was amiss. The building was still sleeping. She'd never heard it so quiet and if it wasn't so nice she might have found it spooky. She felt reassured, she didn't know why she'd thought something had happened. Everything was fine. "I need to tell you some things."

She turned towards the kitchen to put a pot of coffee on when she was swept up into Darien's arms. "It can wait." He told her, heading towards the room she occupied. "Right now you're going back to bed. There's no point for us to stay awake when its so early. You're dead on your feet. Whatever needs to be said can wait until it's properly morning."

Serena looped her arms around his neck allowing him to lead. She rested her head against the column of his neck and nodded. "I'm turning you into another version of me."

"Heaven forbid." He gave a slight shudder and she managed to whack the shoulder furthest from her. He laid her down into bed and stripped both of them and then pulled her into his arms, wanting to sleep skin to skin. She snuggled in, not arguing and her eyes shut almost instantly.

–

Serena woke up to raised voices in the hallway. She looked bleary eyed across Darien's chest at the table next to him to see what time the clock read. It was 9 in the morning. She knew they overslept this morning, but it was a slow day. That didn't give anyone the excuse though to come search for her or give her any type of grievance calling like this for being late to work. She didn't _usually_ go in for another hour.

Pounding soon followed and Serena pulled on her silk robe and tied it. Darien was still slumbering, she gave him a soft smile. It was nice to see him slowly relaxing more and more. Last night she'd teased him but she wanted him this way, it meant that he trusted her too, that he wasn't hyped up about every little nuance that was different than what had come before. He was letting go of the outside world and allowing himself to just be _with _her.

More pounding pulled her out of her reminiscences and she closed the door behind her, making sure to pull it all the way closed and padded her way over to the one that had people behind it. She yanked on it but it wouldn't budge. Great, she had pulled it too tight when they'd come in. She frowned trying to recall this morning, hadn't Darien needed to pry it open or was that just her overactive imagination recalling all the other times she'd done this. It _really_ needed to be replaced, it was the only thing that was creeping up on her nerves.

She rubbed her eyes and raised her voice to tell that to whoever was being so insistent. She almost called Darien to come help but stopped herself in time.

"I'm getting Jace to come help." Raye's voice responded back and she didn't know where to begin in the surprise. She unlocked everything so it would be ready for Jace and took up a seat at the bar. She _was_ wearing underwear under her robe but made sure to pull it as tight as she could without being too tight and if Raye came in afterward and disliked it, well she was in her own home, Raye would have to deal. Even if Serena's home happened to be _in_ Raye's.

Jace managed to get the door open and he rubbed his shoulder after. "Ow, how do they all manage? Oh hey Serena." He gave her a mini wave and walked off.

"Wimp!" Raye called out after him and he didn't argue as he continued his path back upstairs.

Serena just stared at Raye who was looking over her shoulder at the disappearing man. "What is the big deal?"

Raye turned to Serena and she started dancing from one foot to the other suddenly at a loss for words. Somewhere something creaked and Serena hoped it wouldn't be obvious where it had come from. Maybe she could pass it off as an old house doing its natural groaning, since it had come from some place that shouldn't have anyone in it at the moment.

She prayed that he'd be smart and not open the door, her concentration was intent on that, trying to will him to be the man with the brains that he knew he was. That he'd realize they had company and that's why she wasn't in there with him, still sleeping.

Serena almost missed what Raye said and the gravity of it almost bypassed her completely even when she repeated the words in her head, then again more slowly. She was still struggling with them when Raye started rambling about next steps.

"Wait." Serena reached out and grasped Raye's wrist, probably not very lightly but blood was rushing in her ears and she wasn't sure she was seeing more than Raye's face. "Repeat that please. Andrew is where?"

"Andrew..." Raye hated having to repeat it, Serena could see it in one unimportant detail that her brain latched onto. "Andrew's been caught be an avalanche."

"Andrew's dead?" She whispered coming to the obvious conclusion and it felt like her heart struggled to beat.

* * *

EAN: Ok so most of the original chapter/2 chapters that was supposed to have been here have been cut. Remind me and I'll post outtakes/originals, it's 60 some pages worth and some of it is similar in the beginning but then it darts wildly out of control for awhile but both swing back around to a middle ground later. It's worth reading. Really. Its all in a separate document so it's easy to post. Either at the end of this story or in a different file. I'd actually prefer at the end I think. Keep my numbers more accurate to actual stories written vs documents posted. I say this because there are some things of importance in it that I'm editing out of this version that are of some note and some tongue in cheek/ironic things said. PS I got confused for a moment in the rewrite about whether or not Serena had been to Mina's apartment before and I decided she had before I got to it in the original version I'd written and realized that it came later. So that might also influence your opinion of some things said. I have other deleted scenes saved somewhere else that I thought would work in the rewrite but I'm to lazy to re-rewrite them just for a clever sentence or two (or paragraph). It'll have to do as is, which is fine, but missing in the Mina's apartment bit which I thought was cool. That'll also be in the deleted bit if I still have it. None of it really changes this story though, since I've gone through and actually typed out a bunch of it so it flows just using that as a guideline in some parts. I had written all of that I think in a night because I got really motivated and started skimming on details and rereading it I didn't like it as much as I thought so I came back in to edit and edit and edit and decided on a different path. It's taking longer than it would have but I actually think its better this way. You can decide when it gets posted and let me know for yourself. It's kind of like an 'alternative ending' without actually being an ending.

EAN2: I did tell you that this was the last chapter before answers start coming forth and so it will be. I'm working on the next chapter as you read this sentence. :)

Oh and... EAN3: Hands up on how many of you are _hating _me right now?


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

–

AN: I apologize for the crazy-tastic amount of ANs and EANs in the last chapter. I'm sure some of that mattered to you and some of it didn't. I read some of my ANs and EANs in the original which I'll keep there that have absolutely _nothing _to do with the story just side thoughts. Anyhow just thought I'd apologize for taking up so much of your time with comments... Thanks everyone for your reviews! I love every last one of them, for every single story you review. I don't think I thank you all enough and I do. I thank each and every one of you! Now without further delay, what you came here for.

* * *

"Andrew's strong." Raye argued picking up from Serena's doomed day question. It was a conclusion nobody hoped for and many would deny as long as they could. "We're not quite sure where he was last. He could be perfectly unharmed and safe and we're worrying for nothing as he works his way back down as we speak. But we do know he was up on the mountain when it happened and we haven't been able to reach him. Or until just now you. We feared he'd taken you out with him too."

"An avalanche?" Serena was slow in processing, she was still stuck on the first piece of information. She could have blamed it on being half asleep when Raye first got here but that cleared up real quick and now she was wide awake. She just couldn't wrap her mind around this. She'd heard of avalanches but they'd never seemed real to her before. Just like glaciers moving or earthquakes. Something that happened to other people, _not _her or the people she cared about!

"We try to clear them as much as we can to keep the area safe for our skiers, it's a common practice for ski resorts. This one was commissioned to blow on the back bowl later today. He wasn't supposed to be back there for another few hours yet and was supposed to clear out before then. However as far as we know, the snow broke loose and slid far earlier than we had suspected. They happen that way sometimes but it was still a surprise for all of us."

Serena gulped, swallowing down the nausea in the pit of her stomach. That ball of dread was unfurling and wrapping itself around every organ it could reach and going further still. "I... I need time to come to terms with this and then I'm sure I'll have a hundred questions."

She couldn't explain it but she _needed _to get Raye out of there. Every fiber of her being was pushing to get this woman _away_. She tried to reign in her panic and desires and strove to contain herself and be polite. This woman was still someone she'd have to face again and needed to keep a cooler head but fighting with herself was rolling her stomach and she didn't want to attend to that as well.

"And I'll be there to answer all of the ones I can." Raye reached out and laid her hand over Serena's and squeezed. "I'm sorry about everything and I just want you to know I'm here for you, whatever you need." Raye was now rubbing her hand in a bid to be comforting. "I can stay here with you for as long as you want. There is nowhere else that is more important."

"I think I need to be alone right now." Serena's mouth wobbled. "If you wouldn't mind? I'm sure I'll need a hundred thousand people around later, but for now, some time would be appreciated." Raye nodded and slid to her feet, words were streaming forth again about how she was a friend and would be there as soon as Serena rang for her. Serena stopped her before she went too far. "What are you guys doing now?" That was important she was sure, it was begging to be asked in a recess corner of her mind and so the words popped out.

"We're searching for him. We've got patrols out looking for him, Nashashuk is spearheading one team, Michelangelo another. Jace was just about to go out when I needed him to help with the door. Darien would be too, but I've been calling his ranch number and can't seem to get a hold of him but when we do, he'll be leading a fourth."

Serena nodded, not even thinking about why they couldn't, she didn't even remember him at this moment, all her thoughts were on Andrew. "Thanks Raye for coming by."

The woman nodded and turned to leave but stopped short by the door. "Whose shoes are these?" They were the only male pair there amongst all of Serena's and all Serena could manage was a quick glance, telling her they were a dark brown. She blinked, not understanding the importance of the question. She answered automatically.

"Andrew's." There was a little shrug and Raye reluctantly left it at that. After the door clicked shut again, Serena found herself next to the shoes starring quizzically, blankly and thinking of Andrew and then realized with a start that they were a pair of Darien's that were very _Darien_. But hopefully Raye believed her and didn't question it too far.

Serena shook her head, trying to get thoughts like those out of it. How did it matter? It didn't, not anymore. Another door opened, one across the living space from her and she could see Darien let himself out. He was looking down and when he raised his head, she knew he'd heard everything and when she read his eyes, they told her everything she needed to know. They told her the truth that she'd suspected from the start.

She slid down to the ground, her back against the door and let out a huge sob. With that one many more came and they couldn't stop. Darien was by her side in an instant and he pulled her into his arms, rocking her back and forth and she couldn't hear him try to placate her over her own harsh noises. She didn't even feel him run his hands over her arms or kiss the top of her head, or even get lifted off the ground and settled more comfortably on his lap instead of half over him.

He held her the entire time she cried. He closed his eyes against the sight wishing he could do the same for his ears, not because he didn't want to see or hear it but because it tore out his heart to know she was going through it. He wanted to do something for her but knew nothing would. He didn't even want to tell her words of encouragement, he didn't want to raise her hopes only to have them come crashing down again. Best she viewed it with a bottom line in tow, it'd make it easier for when the truth confirmed it. He didn't have a very positive outlook on this, he'd seen too much of what nature could do and how fragile human life was. But he also didn't know all the details. Those details might make a big difference, and there was a possibility, however slim, that Andrew might make it out of this alive. But it was slim and Darien didn't hold out much hope.

Slowly, ever so slowly her tears stopped and her cries turned to hiccups and sniffles. Tears would come forth once more but they were never as bad as that first time. For awhile it was every few seconds a new round would come and then every few minutes. When there were enough minutes that had gone by that he felt confident enough to move her, he did. He lifted her off the ground and placed her on the couch, he pulled up a blanket around her and wanted to continue holding her but felt his efforts were best sourced elsewhere. He kissed her forehead and went to find her water and hot tea, not only to comfort her but to keep her hydrated after crying so much.

He put the tea into her hands and watched for a while, making sure she didn't scald herself on it before he walked away to come back and set the water near her. "I'm going to go get dressed." He finally told her, running his fingers through her hair, scalp to shoulder and back again. "Then I'm going to bring you upstairs and put you in Amy's room. She and Lita can watch over you for awhile."

Her eyes lifted to his suddenly understanding that he was intending to leave her. "Where will you be going? Are you leaving me?" Past fears didn't even have a chance to come back and haunt her, she was just terrified that _he_ was going to leave her when she needed him so much.

"I'm going to help in the search. Raye's trying to assign me to one of the groups as leader. If we have any chance of finding Andrew I'm going to have to-"

"No!" Serena's hand shot forward so suddenly that it dispersed the liquid in her cup and it spilled over her lap. She didn't notice even as Darien tried to soak it up before it scalded her thighs. "You'll get hurt out there too." Serena began instantly. "What if you get swallowed up by it, or another avalanche? What if you fall through and get buried?"

Fear was racing through her now, chasing away the desolation. She would die, just absolutely _die _if something happened to Darien as well. It would take so much for her to get through the loss of Andrew, adding Darien to that mix would just destroy her. Her hand released him and it shook as she brought it back to her personal space and then used her thumb to brush against one of her brows not just smoothing it but a twitch she couldn't control.

Darien sank to his knees by her side and took both of her hands in his, his heart was aching watching her deal with this but it also was growing knowing that she cared that much for him. He knew it wasn't the right time to smile though a part of him really wanted to. She was his in all the ways that really mattered. A tiny part of him rejoiced in the idea that he no longer had to compete with another man, that from now on she'd be free.

But most of him, the good part of him that reigned supreme knew that was petty even if it was human and he barely noticed it, he was more concerned about her and Andrew. He wanted to go out there and help find the man and bring him home, even if it was only to bury him. He needed to help and while he would love to stay here with Serena and help her through this, there'd be plenty of time for that when it was over. In the meantime he had to do everything in his power to bring Andrew home. For the sake of all three of them, he had to try to do all he could.

"I'll be fine, I promise. I know where all the possible avalanches are and we'll ski around the existing one until we know its safe to go on. But that's what the skis are made for, they're designed to handle all snow types. I need to be out there with them, to make sure they all get back in one piece." As Michelangelo had pointed out, with all his time spent away from this place he couldn't even claim to be the most experienced or best acquainted with _these _mountains anymore but he had spent enough time while being back to feel pretty confident he was the best of any group he'd have to lead.

"Andrew said something very similar not too long ago." He could feel her hands still trembling below his. How could he even think to leave her at a time like this?

His phone vibrated in the other room against the wood on her end table and usually they wouldn't have heard it so far away but it was so quiet in that room that it was deafening in how loud it was now. He was reluctant to stand up and leave her, but he did. He bent and kissed her on the temple with a promise to be right back. He strode into her bedroom, and it _was _hers he realized, she wasn't lying when she said that the two of them were sleeping apart and trying something different. He should have noticed it earlier. He answered the phone as he walked back. "Darien." He stated by way of greeting, letting the other person know who was on the line, though it should be obvious.

"Darien!" Raye's voice was high stressed and relieved at the same time. "Thank god, I finally reached you. There's been a major disaster. Andrew's quite possibly dead, he's been caught in an early morning avalanche. We've sent out a lot of search teams and we've been trying to keep track of everything but we could really use your help."

"Raye please sit down and try to relax, this kind of stress can't be good for the baby." He tried to soothe even as he sat down next to Serena again and pulled her into his arms, rubbing her back as she buried her face into his chest.

If Rei thought for even a second that he wasn't acting like this was the first he'd heard of it, he could come up with a million excuses but it was best to keep calm in this situation."God Darien, for a moment there I worried _you'd _gone out this morning like you sometimes do and were caught as well!"

"I know I wasn't answering my phone at home. I'm sorry I worried you. I'd gone in early to the office." He lied and he cringed because he hated to do so. Serena's fingers curled into his shirt at his waist. "I'm going to go check on Serena and then I'll be right up. I'm near her door already so you needn't worry about meeting me anywhere. Sit down, put your feet up and be concerned about yourself." He didn't add that she was good at it, this was not the time for a dig like that and in this case she'd need to be because she was taking care of another life as well.

"I don't know how you think I can do anything of the sort." Raye huffed. "As for Serena, good luck, she practically pushed me out the door. I know she might have been in shock but still!"

"Let me try and talk to her. I'll see if I can't coax her out of the apartment." Darien slid his fingers through her hair, rubbing soothingly at her scalp. "I'll get back to you, you just worry about what you _can_ do on your end." He hung up before he could be dragged into more conversation and slid the phone into his shirt pocket. "Honey, let me bring you upstairs, it's better for you to be around people. Amy and Lita will be good company and they'll take care of you. Maybe they'll able to take your mind off of things for a while."

"I don't want to take my mind off of anything." Serena grumbled into his chest. "I want to wallow in this and think of nothing else."

"That's not true." Darien pulled her away so he could look down into her eyes. "It might be something you can't help but do, but I know you don't want to. There's really nothing you can do, so you might as well save yourself the grief." Knowing that it was something that was so against her nature he changed tactics after that. "Actually everyone's concerned about you, it'll make them feel better knowing you're all right and seeing it for themselves. It'll comfort them to be able to be there with you and help you through it. At least until we know anything for sure."

Serena sighed and gave a short nod.

"All right." Darien scooped her up. "Let's get you dressed and we'll go up." He carried her back into her room and moved quickly making sure she didn't have time to change her mind. He didn't even let her change herself even though she blindly reached for whatever was in her closet. He knowingly grabbed pieces and pulled them out and set them on the bed, then started tugging her robe off and down her arms. She lifted her arms dutifully and he pulled the long sleeved shirt on instead, pulling a sweater on after it. Sweat pants were a little more tricky and he let her put them on herself. He pulled her hair back into a high pony-tail and ran his thumbs under her eyes. They could do with a wash but it was a nit-picky thing and she'd probably be crying again soon anyway so it wouldn't matter. She looked comfortable but still presentable and he hoped that as such she'd feel able to actually do something instead of sit and wallow. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head and went to find her slippers. Then he lifted her off her feet again.

"I can walk. I'm not completely incapable of doing anything for myself."

"I know but allow me this small comfort at least until we leave this room." It was just occurring to him that Andrew could have asked Serena along for one of these runs, it wasn't unheard of and she could have said yes. She had before. If she had this time then she would have been with him when the avalanche came roaring down the side of the mountain and she was fine on an average day but she had no way or skills to combat that. It would have been certain doom for her and absolutely no chance of survival. She would have been taken out instantly before she knew what hit her. And it would have hit him hard. It would have been crippling if he lost her, lost her without ever knowing what happened for sure, so suddenly.

He carried her further than the outside of her room, but he did set her down by the time they reached the main hall. He took her hand and pulled her passed it and into the dining room. There she would have clear view of all the comings and going of the rescue teams and Lita would be there for her as well. He didn't want to let go of her hand, but he pushed her into the most comfortable chair where there was a prime view and waved Lita over. "I have to go. Please don't argue, this is something I need to do." Serena didn't look at him and he sighed wanting to kiss her goodbye. "I'll be back."

He took a step away and she swung her head around coming to grips that he was going to go and didn't want their parting to have anything she'd regret later. "Please be safe. Please come back in one piece. I'll be waiting for you and missing your presence the whole time."

He nodded, here and now was not the time to say all he needed to say or do. They'd already had their moments and his fingers slipped through hers as soon as Lita arrived at the table. "Me too."

Darien headed out to oversee another group that would be taking their search to another part of the mountain it would be slow going, they couldn't just ski right down it. They had to comb every inch of their allotted area. The lifts to that area were closed, nobody could accidentally get to it without being a member of the search team. The people on the ground were directing traffic and answering questions as best they could without alarming anyone.

Serena stared blankly out over the white expanse of snow. All she could see was the powerful color and it was almost blinding. She knew many of the rescue teams were wearing red or orange or black and they'd all be on the other side of the mountain. From here it looked so small and easy to search but she knew from experience that there was a lot of ground to cover. More than just any normal ski resort. These were mountains and one of the longest runs and most difficult terrain if you were up for it. And Andrew was always up for it.

She knew Darien held out absolutely no hope to finding a warm body and bringing it home. But a small sliver inside of her denied it. There had to be hope and under the weight of his assurance that it was over she'd collapsed but now that she had breathing room that part surfaced. It surfaced before Lita even managed to speak to her. "Andrew's alive, I know it." And she clung onto that small hope and fed it, allowing it to blossom under her care.

Lita looked at her, there was a look in her eyes as if she was going to argue and then thought better. Instead of saying anything either way, she just nodded and sat quietly with Serena, her hand over the blond's and just held it the entire time. Her crew could handle the preparations and service of the other guests, right now her friend needed her more than anyone else possibly could. No part of Lita feared for Nashashuk's return or safety. He was capable and he knew the mountains well, he'd return unharmed and she couldn't imagine what Serena was going through right now. She'd never been in this position, not even close. Whenever there was a scare in the past, he'd always been in bed next to her when it was announced.

"Has- has anyone survived an avalanche?"

"Depends." Lita answered. "Depends where they were in the situation, if they managed to ski out of it, on it. Some people do it for sport but they're usually the ones who cause it and know it's happening. One has survived being buried but it was only because the avalanche slowed. Another survived because they managed to find a rock dwelling where the snow went up and over them but they still were buried for the most part. Unfortunately none of those were here. We've lost people before to avalanches."

It might not have been what Serena wanted to hear but Lita always spoke plainly and she appreciated that. She squeezed Lita's hand and turned back to watching the people come in and out. Some of the rescue crew came in to warm up and rejuvenate some of their energy. No luck so far. Serena watched as Amy and Raye came in to talk with her for awhile before Raye left and then Amy not too much later followed suit. Even the men came in looking for her, wind burned and pink from the intense sun. They gave her hugs and tried to speak positively but nothing really reached her. She didn't see Darien but he was one of the last people out there.

The sun moved across the sky and still no word of anyone being found. Zolton came over he was a fair skier but nothing in which a search party needed and sat with her, checking to make sure she hadn't slipped too far into shock and was slightly concerned for her mental state.

"I suppose now's not the best time to tell you this, but I've hit a standstill on my research into _your _case. The plant that was used is unfortunately a free-range plant and can be picked by anyone who knows to look for it or it can even be bought over the counter to grow in yards or prairies. It's really quite lovely actually, it's a deep red color with beautiful jade green stems. I have a picture if you want to see." He pulled it up on his phone and it was lovely, if not deadly looking. It had sharp angles and lots of pedals. Beautiful but deadly. It was not a plant that she would forget what it looked like any time soon, and she managed to store that into her memory despite everything else.

Serena looked over at Zolton and tilted her head. "You're here... I swear I haven't seen someone today."

"Darien?" Zolton questioned and Serena shook her head. Even Hadley was out there and she'd seen Hotaru and Mona in the hall when she'd gone to the bathroom. Hotaru had been crying as she hugged Serena and it just pulled at Serena's heart and she couldn't handle it. She'd started crying again as well and held the girl tightly against her.

"He brought her up to the land of the living." Lita quipped and then her face fell as she instantly regretted her word choice but Serena only blinked at her in response. Then Lita started thinking about it too. "You know, I haven't seen Mina at all today. I guarantee that she'll be around when the shop closes. Maybe she's busy on ground control and making sure all the rescue crew has their gear in order."

"Maybe." Zolton agreed. "I'll go check and report back any new findings or game plan changes." He dropped a hand onto Serena's shoulder. "Chin up, we'll find him, I have a lot of faith in our crew. They've never left anyone buried."

Serena's eyes closed against that mental image as he left. Buried is what they'd have to do when they found him. "What if they don't?"

"What do you mean?" Lita asked returning to her seat next to Serena and put the blond's head on her shoulder.

"What if he's in a million pieces and they can't find them?"

"They'd find something, a clue that it happened that way, but I doubt it. He'll be a solid form."

"What if they can't get to him under all the layers of snow? What if they have to let him stay there until the snow has melted enough?"

"They'll dig until they bring him home. They won't leave him there, I promise you."

"People are making a lot of promises that they can't seem to keep." Serena rubbed her face with both hands and left it in them. "I can't believe promises anymore until they've been confirmed as completed, only then."

Lita ran a hand down Serena's back and back up it again before repeating. It was soothing and comforting at the same time. "All right then, no more promises or guarantees. How about a hope then? A hope that they'll find him soon and bring him home, no matter what shape he's in." Code for dead, Serena realized and knew Lita didn't like to think that way either.

"I'll take that." Serena would too, that was the first thing anyone's said all day that was anything of comfort and she didn't blame them, everybody needed something different. It was hard to know what was right for which person and in these times what would have been obvious might be elusive or odd.

"How about a hot chocolate or a tea too?" Lita stood and stretched her muscles, she hadn't sat for so long in such a long time. "Then a walk around the building. It's not good for you to sit here all day."

"I can't leave, not until I know... one way or the other."

"Then a walk around the dining room while I get the drinks." Lita pulled her up to her feet. "Go on, make some rounds and don't get distracted by conversation unless it's not about this at all." Lita pushed her and she started walking. Lita was right, her limbs felt numb after sitting for so long and the walk did help clear her head somewhat.

Nobody really tried to engage her and the few that did were either oblivious to what was happening and were just friendly or didn't realize she was so close to the matter and they were just prying for information. She talked a bit to those who didn't know and then carried on. Anyone else she gave a shrug and walked away. She made three rounds around the room and then returned to Lita's side and thankfully took one of the large cups of hot chocolate. She cupped her hands around it and took back her sentry position.

The sun sank lower, hiding now for the first time during this long, long day, behind the mountains to their west. If she were noticing these types of things she would have seen a quite beautiful sky with all sorts of pulls on the color palate. But she wasn't, she was just seeing longer stretches of shadows obscuring her view of the people looking for Andrew.

She'd finished half her cup when Zolton finally came back. He was frowning, but Serena didn't notice, she only became aware of it when Lita said something. "I went down to the ski shop and it was kind of interesting. Mina wasn't there manning it like I thought she would be. In fact nobody has seen Mina all day that could recall. She might still be at home but I doubt it by now. She might be out there on ski patrol she's strong. She'd be an asset to their search." But Zolton didn't sound sure.

Lita started fidgeting nervously. "She's always had a tenancy to be one of the first out on the hills when she goes. Perhaps she was out there too at the time. Maybe they'd gone together? Is that possible Serena?"

"Well sure, they go and do a lot of things together. They're really good friends. It wouldn't surprise me if they went skiing together as well but it was so early. Mina's not exactly a morning riser."

"It might not mean anything." Zolton cut in. "It could be quite possible they just missed her in the patrol groups." He was giving Lita a very pointed look over Serena's head and Serena managed to catch that. They didn't think she could handle another person on her plate.

They were right that it just hurt more but it wasn't life knee-capping like a particular person would be. "At least if they're together they have company." Serena said lamely not sure where to direct the conversation.

"That's right, they could be in a hole somewhere. Together's a lot better than apart." Lita continued and for once she was the awkward one too.

"That's... a thought." Serena tried to be optimistic about it.

"We'll know more later tonight." Lita finally found a better segue.

Zolton unfurled his long length against the chair and tented his fingers over his stomach. "They're marking off coordinates that they've covered so far. They're making pretty good headway. Thankfully this happened early on in the day so there was time to melt some of the snow and make their task easier."

"I definitely need to thank people for all of their help, no matter what the result may be. They were all risking their lives for him and I know he'd appreciate it too if he could say anything on the matter." A shiver went through Serena and she hunched over her chocolate and gripped the cup tighter. There was a blanket near by and Lita draped it over Serena's shoulders.

The two of them started talking about technical details like how they were flanked and what machinery they were using and where they were looking exactly. Serena was just substituting what they said because she stopped listening and started watching again, her mind blanking out for awhile and she was just a shell.

A half of a cup gone later and all three of the Shields were walking in, several others followed. Darien hooked a chair and put it right next to Serena's. Lita stood and nodded to them before going off to make sure all of the volunteered would be served first and quickly.

"What's going on? Have you found Andrew?"

"No but we're going to have to stop." Amy announced.

"You've all promised me- you've promised that you'd find him." A twitch in Darien's lip was noticeable because she was looking right at him when she stopped talking but it _hadn't _been directed at him like he was probably going to assume. He'd taken this onto his shoulders as well and she didn't want that. She was just looking to him for confirmation that this was all happening. He put his hand on her knee underneath the table and squeezed reassuringly. There were some messages being relayed back and forth between them through their eyes.

"Look Serena." Raye pulled her attention away. "We're not finished looking for him but its gotten dark out and we can't continue until first light. They'll be up there again looking before dawn even has time to break. Right now there's still night skiing and we have to watch to make sure nobody gets lost on the main runs and take a rest. We will miss something in the dark and will probably not comb that area again if we do it now."

"It's also safer for the rescuers not to be out there looking at this time. But Raye is right everyone will be up in the morning and out searching again." Amy continued and Serena looked away. She nodded but she had to fight back tears.

"What's their chance of surviving the night?"

"Their?" It was Darien's voice and she heard the surprise in it. Nobody else had stumbled upon the same conclusion then.

"We think Mina might be up there with Andrew." Zolton confirmed. "We haven't seen her all day and when I went to look for her at the shop nobody had seen her there either."

"Mina?" Amy sounded concerned and Serena knew the girl went way back with all of them. "What would Mina be doing up there at that time of morning?"

"She might not be." Raye said slowly and when Serena raised her eyes to her the other woman looked away. "She might still be at home. I'll have Jace drive me out there, I have a key. We'll know more after that."

She waddled away and nobody told her not to go. It was something Raye needed to see and complete for herself. Amy finally sat down next to Zolton. "I can't believe it, we might be looking for two bodies?" Her voice was choked up and didn't notice the censure she got from Darien. "Mina's more than a friend, she's like an annoying little sister."

"I know the thought." Darien said pointedly and she could hear the terseness in his voice. Amy continued on oblivious. But Serena was tuning her out now too. There it was, there was her answer, there wasn't anything found and there wouldn't be either. Nobody would be coming in here with exciting news or even devastating. The announcement was that it was over. They weren't even looking anymore. Serena pushed away from the table, dropping Darien's hand off her knee as she did so and fled the room without apology.

A few people stood to stop her but they let her go when her path was straight and her speed was determined to get away. Amy was just sitting there numbed and thought Serena's flight away was a little rude and couldn't figure out where she'd gone wrong. They'd go and find her later, right now she needed to be alone.

–

Alone wasn't exactly what she got. She ran headlong into Michelangelo's chest, neatly dodging everyone else but he stepped in her way before she could do the same there. She wasn't seeing anyone other than cones to be avoided. He gathered her up into his arms and carried her out of the lodge. He didn't stop or let her down even when the cold air bit painfully at her poorly covered skin, he just hooked his coat around the two of them. It had to be below zero, below the ten below mark. But he trudged on. For him and his long legs it wasn't a long walk and it usually took her ten minutes in good weather. She barely registered that it was snowing and the tiny sprinkles rested against her bare cheeks and stuck, not even melting as the temperature was cold enough outside to combat with hers.

She was set down onto her feet and she could feel the smooth wood underneath, knew exactly where she was instinctively even in her attempt not to feel anything. "Why have you brought me here?"

"You may think solitude is your refuge, that burying yourself in the covers at the apartment is going to help but it will only make things worse. This is your shelter, your thinking tank, your everything. This is where you will learn to cope. So start coping." He turned on the stereo he had left out and she heard a song she hadn't heard for a long time. A song she had put away not to be heard again if she could help it.

"How did you know?"

"I bargained it out of Andrew one night."

"It would have taken such extreme measures to get such a sentimental piece out of him, especially knowing not just what I'd have gone through but him as well once the rage hit." Serena though wasn't feeling rage, she was feeling what the song always allowed her to feel and she couldn't have been angered at anyone in this situation.

"Go ahead. I'll even leave if you want me to. It's on repeat until you want it off."

"I don't even need it on to know it." It was so long ago now and such a difficult piece. She lifted up onto her toes. "Thank you Michelangelo. Stay if you want. I won't be seeing you." She performed movements that weren't required in her newest passion's techniques but were greatly appreciated none-the-less.

The flexibility she'd had as a child was cultivated to last and found her body in the strangest positions but fluidly, if not easily pulled out of. Each and every one of her thoughts narrowed in on her body, not the steps but the feel of it. It centered her mind, centered her emotions. It took skill and control of more than her body to do some of those feats. She didn't even notice as she spun and spun and spun. She jumped and rolled in the air to roll against the floor to her feet once more.

And when the song drew to a close she spun to a stop breathing hard, sweating furiously and facing Michelangelo and he turned off the player for her. He opened his arms as she came forward and sobbed heavily against his chest. It was a cry she needed and even though a shorter one had transpired earlier in the day, this one was different, this was after every effort was discharged and there was nothing left to do but to pick up the pieces the next day and try again but with a different mission in mind and a sad and heavy heart. It would be with a determination though to see it to its end and nobody would stop till then.

"It's just a mess." Serena finally managed to say as she pushed away from him to rub at her eyes. "I had every opportunity to tell him so many things and I never did. Now that's gone. Why does it always happen this way?"

Michelangelo shook his head. "I don't know but its not yours to blame. You do the best you can with the life you're given. There's mistakes along the way. Andrew loved you and that's all you really need to take with you as you go forward."

Serena bit her lip. "He asked me yesterday if I wanted to go skiing with him this morning, the runs were to be freshly groomed and in the quiet it would be a great learning environment. I forestalled and said maybe some other week. If I had known then what I know now-"

"You'd have gone with him?" Michelangelo lifted a disbelieving brow. "That would have just brought the missing total up."

"I'd have at least told him one more time that I loved him if I couldn't tell him not to go." Serena wrapped her arms around herself feeling cold and Michelangelo tugged her closer to wrap his around her too. "I regret that most of all."

"You've had a lot of time with him and cherishing those memories are the most important thing, the happy ones, not the sad or angering."

Serena lifted her eyes and they grew large. "I can't believe how incredibly selfish I've been. Mina's missing too and I haven't sat there and asked anyone how they were doing with that. Mostly you."

"Mina's a dear friend of mine and it is worrisome but until we confirm she's nowhere to be found in town then and only then will I start feeling sad about her fate. I might bawl harder than you if its true but I hold out hope that she's around."

"I have a shoulder big enough for you to cry on."

"I'll keep that in mind when I need to cry." Michelangelo picked her up again. "Until then we'd probably be better off getting you back home and tucked into bed. It's been a hard day."

"Some days I swear you're like an older brother."

"Maybe somewhere along the way we should have been." Michelangelo agreed. "But life has a crazy way of throwing curve balls and plans get distorted.*"

"I wouldn't have minded."

"I would have enjoyed it." He countered good-naturedly. "Then again as siblings we probably would have resented each other."

"Not all the time." Serena disagreed. "But you're probably right. Two amazing siblings in one family would have been far too much. At least when they're as similar as we are."

"Sounds like you're talking from experience."

"Not in quite the same way as going through it myself, but I do have some regard on the matter." She agreed. They had their talk the entire way back to the lodge and when they got inside he set her down.

"Would you like me to stay or should I come back at a later time? Maybe tomorrow even?"

She rested a hand on his arm and gave him a small reassuring smile. "I think your services are completed. Thank you Michelangelo for everything. I have enough people here if you want to go home and get some rest. You've worked hard today and I appreciate everything you've done for not only myself but Andrew as well." Her voice felt clogged on that last sentiment, Andrew couldn't thank him, not for himself, not anymore.

Michelangelo bent and kissed the top of her head. "It'll be ok, we'll help each other get through all of this."

Serena went into her room for awhile but found herself antsy and couldn't sit for long. She gathered up a throw and found her way to a balcony facing the mountain which had the bowl on the other side of it. It didn't register that it was the same one that Darien had found her on that first week she'd been there. She stood there for a lot longer than she had anticipated. She continued standing there long after she felt the chill sink into her bones.

It wasn't accomplishing much but she felt it was her duty to stand sentry until he came home to her, one way or another. She was now quite numb in so many different ways but still she stood there staring out across the darkened snow covered rocks. Wanting to go and search for herself and unable to believe that they wouldn't find him. She always found him. Again and again and again, they found each other after separations and arguments. Her lips quivered and tears found hot traces down her cheeks, cooling and freezing where they laid. She didn't even both to wipe them away.

It was hours after the last of the lights turned out, the night skiing shut down and she couldn't feel a single part of her body and yet she didn't move. She watched as lights around the city flickered out, no parties were held tonight.

When warmth suddenly flooded her body it didn't surprise her though it did burn and she let out a gasp in surprise to the pain. It didn't infiltrate all of her body, just her back, arms and stomach as someone wrapped themselves around her. "It won't do anyone any good if you die out here from frostbite or pneumonia." The chiding tone wasn't necessary but she knew who it would be as soon as she felt the presence of another body. "Let's get you back inside."

Since she could barely protest much less stand her ground, it was easy for him to swing her up into his arms and carry her back into the warmth. Her body writhered at the temperature change but he only continued carrying her. She felt like a doll passed from one person to the next as they all just did as they pleased with her. But she didn't feel anger, all they wanted to do was take care of her. She might need it right now, she didn't know, left to her own devices she might accidentally get herself killed. She wasn't thinking, she was numb to that kind of pain and thinking. Andrew was gone, he'd left her when he knew he shouldn't. At least before it wasn't permanent, this time it was.

Darien brought her back to his room and into the bathroom. He turned the taps on to a mild heat that didn't even steam up the room. "Can't go too high or you'll damage something." He stripped her then and shoved her under the stream. He was upset and she didn't blame him. She was putting herself at risk, again, and he loved her too much to let her get away with it. She would have probably done something like this in return if he'd been acting this way. After a few minutes he turned up the temperature slightly and left her alone again. Well, at least not far, he sat against he edge of the vanity and watched her through the window.

Slowly as the temperature increased she could start feeling portions of her body again. It was just an exercise in futility, she now knew what Andrew must have gone through if he didn't die instantly. It wasn't a horrible way to go, shutting down, not feeling pain as your body gave out on you. Not an instant shock like jumping into ice water, more like a lobster's death in reverse.

When the water started getting too warm, Darien turned it off and pulled her out with big fluffy towels, drying her off quickly and efficiently, none of the loving or care he had in the past, but more like he was her nurse. Then he gathered her into a big fluffy robe and set her down onto the bed, pulling blankets over her and bunking down on top of the last one, trapping her. As if her tired muscles would have put up a worthless fight like that. He ran a hand through her damp bangs.

"Honey... I searched for you for what seemed like hours. I knew you hadn't left town, nobody would dream letting you behind a wheel."

"Michelangelo dragged me off to the studio. It did good, for awhile."

"I knocked on your door after that but you didn't answer. I let myself in and searched both rooms but couldn't find you. I didn't worry anyone about it, knowing I'd find you eventually. What were you doing out there?"

"I'm not really sure." Serena didn't know what prompted her to go sit outside, she could have easily sat in the restaurant again, nobody would have faulted her or shooed her out. But she didn't want to be there listening to Amy dissect this so unemotionally. She'd needed to be alone and her apartment wouldn't have allowed her to do that, not with the memories and ghosts of all who had been in it.

"I didn't realize you felt like this about Andrew." He sounded torn and she turned her cheek into his palm.

"I thought you said you understood now."

"I thought I did too." Darien sighed and dug his way under the blankets with her. "I guess I cheapened your feelings, I didn't know the depth of your love for him."

"Darien-" Her voice was weak with emotion and she tried to tell him but he bent down and gave her a soft kiss cutting her off.

"Wait on that. It's ok, you've been through enough today. Go to sleep." Another kiss on her brow and he wrapped his arms around her, bringing her within the safe confines of his arms. When his hand slipped inside her robe and rested against her belly it wasn't sexual in nature. Her head found his shoulder and sleep claimed her exhausted form.

Darien looked down at her for a long time trying to understand everything he'd learned and finding he didn't understand a thing. The only thing he hadn't wanted was for her to tell him how much she loved Andrew. It was hard enough to _see _it. Anything she had to say wouldn't be good, he didn't want to hear it. At least not like this.

Sleep eluded him but eventually it claimed him as well.

–

They slept late that next morning, Darien was supposed to get up and help search for Andrew and Mina. He'd never gotten the chance to tell Serena that it had been confirmed, that Mina was in fact missing as well. First he never really slept that late but then he'd never been so tired. It was the end of an emotional upheaval and a long day of skiing.

Then when he finally did wake up, he looked down at the beautiful girl in his arms and couldn't tear himself away, not for anything. He blamed himself for her breakdown last night, if he'd been with her like she'd wanted then she'd never have done something so foolish. He couldn't do anything for her now, not on the slopes at least.

His place would be beside her, helping her through it. For once he realized just how deep her love spread. And it wasn't for him, it was for Andrew. If she could love this man so much and yet still walk out on him for Darien, how deep was her love for Darien? It might never reach the magnitude that he thought his love for her was but it was a close second. It was time he started showing her that.

He must have nodded off again because he didn't hear the door open or the knocks before it, if there were any, because all he was aware of was the excited shouts as it reached him in his bed and not from any wood partition. "Darien! Darien!"

The voice died a sudden death as the owner of it got a good look at Darien's sleeping habits. Darien had bolted up right and his body shielded Serena from the view of its onlooker but it was too late, the intruder had a good look at her. "Shh." Darien ordered and covered Serena back up, he'd taken several blankets with him in his quick movement and tucked her in. It might be too late to save her modesty or reputation, but he'd give her as much sleep as she needed.

He got up and grabbed the shocked woman's arm and dragged her out of the room. She was still in shock or she might have taken offense at the ordering and rough handling. He came to a stop just outside and closed the door behind him firmly, not wanting this noise to reach Serena.

"What is it?" He was still fully dressed so he still had hope of explaining this all away if he needed to.

"You should be ashamed of yourself." Lita's voice was strong and steely and left him no imagination of what she thought of him. Since he was less well known to her than his sisters, it wasn't a big surprise that she'd automatically assumed things. "She's vulnerable and you've taken advantage of her. It's disgusting to think that you'd stoop so low."

"Lita, nothing happened last night." And that was the truth of it.

She was still eying him with disgust and looked him over. She seemed to take his word with a bit of reluctance and she nodded. "Well a good thing too or else you'll have a broken nose for your behavior and that's not telling what Andrew would do."

"Andrew-" Whatever Darien was going to say in response to that was interrupted as Serena opened the door, she was sleepy and wasn't thinking straight, just heard voices and loud ones at that and went to investigate. She probably didn't even realize she wasn't in the right room or that her robe gaped and showed a bit too much of what was lacking.

She rubbed her eyes. "Lita?" She blinked wearily at the woman. "What-" And memories started flooding back to her about yesterday as Lita darted forward and covered her better and tying the sash more firmly at her waist. She choked back a sob.

"Enough of that." Lita marched Serena back inside and found her clothes. She handed them to the girl and shoved her back into the bathroom and slammed the door shut. She stood guard at it as she faced a slightly bemused Darien. "You'll get your broken nose yet if you dare take another step forward." She brandished her fist in his direction they could hear Serena on the other side struggle into her clothes.

"It's not what you think." Darien held up his hands in surrender. "I found her on the balcony yesterday frozen to the bone and I had to throw her into the shower before she got frost bite. I had her in my bed to make sure she didn't go anywhere and do something else that was stupid."

They heard a protest behind the door but it was cut off as a sob took her over. Lita didn't move even as Darien did. He wanted to go to her and gather her close. "Not so fast buster. That may be true and you may care for her, but she's married so hands off." Green eyes narrowed menacingly. "I'll be watching your every move from now on."

"You don't have to worry about any of that." Darien tried to protest, and in truth she didn't, things had changed.

Serena finally opened the door back in her clothes and Lita gave her an approving look. "Better, much better, at least now he can't have an eyeful."

"Lita-" Serena moved into the woman's arms and the taller one engulfed her in return, resting the blond's head on her ample chest.

"Is he telling the truth or did he pressure you last night? Trick you? Take advantage of your fragile state?"

"He didn't do anything wrong." She was hardly heard through Lita's chest and Darien would have laughed at any other moment.

Lita nodded and then she shook her head. "What are we doing? This isn't a time to be sad!" Darien was about to call her a few names for making light of the situation and saying such things when Lita continued on uninterrupted. "I'd almost forgotten at the sight of you two in bed together, but there's good news."

"They've found Andrew?" Darien asked slowly, not sure how Lita could be so ecstatic over something inevitable and sad.

"They did better than that! They've found Andrew and Mina holed away in the cabin. They managed to reach it before the avalanche occurred and were in it when the thing came down around them. The cabin saved their lives! They're a little cold and a little hungry but no worse for the wear!"

"That cabin is decrepit." Darien had thought the thing was torn down years ago.

"Well it was enough to hold up against the avalanche, though I'm sure when the snow melts it might be a different story." Lita bounced Serena's head against her breast and Serena lifted her head to stare at her uncomprehendingly. "Andrew's alive!" Lita repeated just for the confused blond and then she was tearing out of the room so fast that she was a blur. Lita laughed and Darien started after her. "Oh Darien?" He turned to look at the brunette and saw a fist instead.

"Ow!" He held his nose, at least she didn't break it but it would smart for several days and probably leave a huge ugly bruise not just on it but his eyes too. "What the hell was that for?"

"I'm well aware that you got an eyeful last night. There's not a chance for you after this. Keep your distance. I know you've been after her for awhile. You're not very good at hiding your intentions. Even if last night you were honorable."

He wasn't a playboy and he didn't deserve that but he probably did if she'd known that he'd capitalized on his intentions and knew what was going on behind the scenes. He hadn't realized Lita was trying so hard to keep Serena and Andrew together. "You're lucky I don't hit women."

"Those two are great together, mind your own business. Anything between the two of you would be strictly an affair that would lead nowhere."

"This is partly my business." Darien replied a touch steely. "As for Serena and Andrew or Serena and myself, you don't have to worry, I've seen how much she loves him."

"Good, see to it that you remember it." Lita sashayed out of the room and he groaned, luckily his balcony had snow on it and he pressed some to his nose hoping it would reduce the swelling. Great, just absolutely fantastic.

When he came down a few minutes later, he got words of compassion for his face and wonders of what happened. He came up with the lamest excuse in the book and said he missed a branch and it struck him in the face. He supposed it was partly true. At least his beloved status hadn't gone completely in this town.

Then he walked into the kitchen and found Serena sitting on Andrew's lap and she was kissing all over his face, so happy that he was alive. When she was done with that she threw her arms around his neck and pressed her face into it too, unable to let go. Andrew's arms were wrapped around her and it looked like they were steel bands around her waist. Serena was trembling and Andrew wasn't about to let her go any time soon.

–

Serena didn't know how she got from standing with Lita and Darien to being in Andrew's arms and on his lap. Everybody quickly backed away from the blond man when they saw her jet across the floor. She was unable to control her actions. She touched his face with her hands going over every plane of it with her fingers. Then with her lips. "You're alive. Thank god you're alive." She spoke between every kiss and his light blue eyes understood her pain and felt it too.

She sobbed into his neck in relief of his safe return. "I'm so sorry." He whispered. "I'm so sorry I scared you like that." His arms tightened even further around her waist and just held her. "Never again."

–

Darien looked around feeling lost now that there was nothing for him to do. Both of their missing people were found. Mina was surrounded by several people asking a million questions or telling her a million other things when she probably just wanted to tuck into a plate of hot food. She might have been the original one they were searching for but it switched to her the moment she was safe. She was a staple around here and she was well loved by all who knew her.

He questioned what the two of them were doing up there together. He kept hearing about what great friends the two of them had become over the last few months. But the only time he ever saw Mina was when she was with Serena and those two had gotten really close too. His eyes narrowed as he caught Mina glancing back at the couple across the room and tearing her eyes away again. He wanted to get to the bottom of that, how could she get so close to the girl and-. Darien had held back, he'd only gone close to Andrew if he had to and was friendly enough when they were together but he never sought the other man out. They hadn't become the best of friends.

_She _wasn't something extra Serena needed to deal with at the moment but Mina... well he'd always looked upon her fondly and tolerated her antics over the last few years. She was a bit of a wild child but she was discrete if she ever got into a real relationship with anyone in Pony. He didn't know what to think about her behavior anymore. He was learning he wasn't always right and he didn't always have the market on morals.

His eyes flickered back to the other two blonds and Andrew slid one of his hands to Serena's face, pulling it away from his shoulder and they were saying something he couldn't hear. Andrew stood and held an arm around Serena's waist. "Thank you all for what you've done. I greatly appreciate it. Mina and I couldn't have gotten out of there in time if it hadn't been for your efforts. We owe you a lot. Please do not hesitate to collect. In the meantime though Serena and I need to go somewhere a little more private."

"Don't come back until dinner!" Lita called out with a huge grin. There were some knowing whistles and cheers as the two of them left the room.

Darien would have missed it, had his eyes not been trained on Serena and he could read a lot of her nuances now. She was bright red before they got out through the door. She at least was not pleased by the attention they'd just gotten.

He didn't want to jump to conclusions like the others about what was going to happen. He had a feeling that Andrew probably needed a shower and the two of them needed to talk. If he was Serena he'd have a lot of questions that needed answers. But if it had been him and Serena... that talk would come later, after he took care of all of his other needs first.

If it had been him and Serena, Serena would have either been up in that cabin with him or they wouldn't have been there at all. His chest was getting impossibly tight, for he knew that whatever else came about this, the experiment was done. Andrew had just managed to slid himself in there just when he almost lost her completely. Andrew would get the girl after all. He felt his hands clenching so tightly in on themselves that he was sure he'd break bones if he didn't release them.

He was just working on that and his plan now when he felt a small hand against the back of his. He looked down and found Mina standing at his side, her hand on his and she gave his a slight squeeze. She didn't need to say anything, there was more said between them there than all the words they'd said to one another in the time they'd known each other.

Turning his hand he let their palms connect and wrapped his fingers around the back of her hand and squeezed back. He lifted his head and looked once more at where Serena and Andrew had disappeared behind, willing them to come back soon for those left behind and forgotten but knowing that it wouldn't happen. He wouldn't ever see her again.

–

Andrew sat with Serena on the couch, the only contact they had now was the grip he maintained on her hand. "I'm sure there are a million questions you want to ask me." He glanced away as if trying to staunch his tears. "Sere there's no way I could ever apologize enough for the scare I put you through."

"Oh Drew!" She launched herself at him again and held on tight. Her hands, with the way she had them around his body couldn't reach each other. "Stop apologizing, please. It wasn't your fault there was an avalanche. With how many times I've scared _you _since being here, I should have known this place would attack in other ways too."

"It's really not that dangerous." He cautioned knowing that she would get an opinion of this place and he didn't want it to be one of fear. "Things happen here as they happen other places you just have to be prepared."

She pulled back and she obviously didn't want to be given a lecture on that matter. "Drew-"

"No, you're right, sorry. I knew there was going to be demolition of some avalanches later today so I suggested we skirted the outside instead. We were half way down the back, Mina was on a snowmobile while I skied beside her. The avalanche took us by some surprise because it wasn't looking like it would go anywhere. We managed to get to the cabin and it buried us. It wasn't where I was supposed to be, we weren't supposed to be back there at all today and I don't think anybody thought we'd go so far over and _past _the shelf. It looked like the cabin had been torn apart with the avalanche otherwise I think it would have been the first thing checked so you wouldn't have even known there _was _a danger until after I got back." He reached out and ran his palm along the side of her face taking a few tears with his thumb. "I shouldn't' have suggested anything like that. We should have stuck to the front side until others could join us or it was taken care of. I just wanted to have the experience. I was stupid and should have been thinking of you."

Serena bit down hard on her bottom lip, running his story through her head. "Now that you've explained it, yeah it was stupid, but I understand. This is your life now, you're going to take risks like that."

"Not like _that_, never again." He promised but she shook her head at his vehemence.

"With the amount of times you go skiing something is going to happen to you eventually. I have to accept that. Accidents happen and like you said, they happen anywhere for any number of reasons." Serena held his face between her hands. "I'm glad you're all right. It was devastating to know I lost you." But it was also enlightening, now that he was alive she knew what she had to do and she wouldn't put it back anymore. She wanted to spend as much time as she could with _him_ in case another accident happened. "I know its a part of your life now and I'll have to learn to deal with it and in the future not expect every call to be good news."

"Speaking of calls..." Andrew drew Serena back down to his chest. "Have you called my family? Lizzy?"

She shook her head. "I was too out of it yesterday to think rationally like that. I might have managed it today but the danger was already over. I'm not sure if they held off elsewhere on calling them until they had any definite news or decided it was best to call right away. Maybe we should go ask?"

"You don't want to spend hours in my arms making sure I'm really all right?" Andrew checked.

"That's not really my place, is it?" Serena's lips twisted wryly.

"Maybe but I know the sort of hell I put you through." Andrew's eyes raked over her, wondering.

Serena's shoulders hunched a little. "I would spend hours if not days with you checking every two seconds to make sure you were really back here with me. But I know if I were to give in to that every time I thought it and didn't have to look very far that it would cripple me."

Andrew moistened his lips while thinking and evaluating. "So if I went and took a hot shower I wouldn't come back to find you in pieces?"

"I'm hoping I'm stronger than ever." Though her eyes darted away from his. "But if you do, if I do, well, it's just a step in a process."

He stood, giving her a nod but paused in the action. "This isn't you pulling away and putting everything into a neat appearance again is it?"

She made a face and waved it away. "No no, far too early for that. People still expect me to crumble. In a week or so they'll expect me to be over this scare and then you can start worrying about me." It was flip but was it also true? They both wondered that as he walked away to do as he intended. When the shower was on, Serena buried her face in her hands and took deep stabilizing breaths.

Andrew had been _dead_ in everyone's minds, even in her own the thoughts had started to slip through and she was slowly accepting it. Then just when she might have tipped he'd gone and done the impossible by being alive and bringing with him another of their friends.

She didn't know how to feel about that. A member of her family had survived a nearly impossible death. She wanted to do as he'd thought she would by clinging to him every moment of every day for the next several days but she couldn't. She had to make things as normal as possible again and be true to her heart. Once things got squared away there, he might relent and let her take care of her family member but first she needed to make sure the one that could leave her didn't on a foolish quest to be noble or something. It was exactly what he'd do, she knew him too well by now to not know it.

Andrew finished his shower and together they went back upstairs to the dining room where she had last seen Darien. When they got there it was the emptiest she'd ever seen. Only Raye and Jace were sitting in it. The employees and guests alike were gone. She thought for sure that they'd all be celebrating here.

"They've gone to the bar to celebrate." Jace announced and answered the question that was on the tip of her tongue. "We're just taking a break. Raye's got the baby kicking a lot today."

Raye smiled at them and wrapped her hand around Jace's arm. "He's such a caring boyfriend. What are the two of you doing back? I thought for sure there'd be lots of personal celebrating."

"There has." Serena reassured. "We just have to take care of a few things first and we're not sure what's gone done around us."

"Meaning?"

"Well Sere didn't call my family-"

"Oh." Raye shook her head. "I was just dialing when Jace came in with the announcement that Michelangelo's team found Andrew and Mina. So no harm done, you can go back to your room and canoodle. You have as long as you need off."

"Thank you Raye." Andrew placed a hand on Serena's hip. "I'll definitely keep that in mind." He hesitated and took a deep breath to ask his next question. "Did Mina go to the party as well?"

"No. She went home." Andrew's hand flexed on his hip at the news. "Darien did too. Guess he figured his work here was done. Thinking about joining them?"

"Something like that." Serena smiled back. "Thanks Raye, that's one disaster avoided." They waved goodbye and headed back in the direction to their apartment. Serena turned to Andrew wanting to say something but he was removing himself from her with an apologetic look but slipped his hand into hers while he talked.

"I'm going to call home. It'll be easier to take the news from me because they can hear that I'm alright."

"Andrew... are you all right? I mean its one thing to be on the outside waiting for news but you were there in the danger."

"I wasn't alone." Andrew raised their joined hands to her cheek. "I was also safe and mostly warm. We found blankets and alcohol and even managed to make some soup. We were fine, always knowing that someone would find us. The most difficult position any of us had been in was _yours_." He flicked a hair off her cheek and then behind her ear. "The one asking should be me. Are you going to be all right?"

"I'm going to manage." Serena offered another smile. "I think if you're going to be busy with the family I might as well slip down to the bar and share a drink with everyone, maybe buy a round. I owe them so much for all they've done not just in searching for you but all the support they've offered me. I know exactly who to start with."

"You don't have to do it now. I'm sure they'll want to talk to you too."

Serena's nose scrunched up. "I am usually the one fielding the calls from them and Lizzy. It's you that they want to talk to and who they will want to hear from. I won't be involved in that conversation at all."

"You're like a daughter to them." Andrew pulled her closer again. "You know that, you know they've said it to both of us several times."

"And they're like parents to me too, but that's _like_ a family. They're not _my_ parents, not really." The look she was giving him spoke to all the things she didn't want to say and he engulfed her into a hug.

"I'm sorry about all of this. But we'll always be your family. _Always_. Blood or anything else that you think is needed, isn't. That's not important. We're family. I'm your family." He promised and Serena tried to push back the tears as she nodded accepting all of that. He leaned down and gave her a kiss, Serena dragged him closer and then she was pulling away.

"Go make your calls. I'm not sure what time I'll be back."

Andrew watched her go and she knew he was concerned about her emotional state, he'd lived through her process already. But now she was older and wiser and more mature and he was all right. She didn't know how she'd react in a few days when it all seemed fine and she was secretly holding something in, that even she didn't know about, and it unraveled but for right now there was something important she needed to do.

–

Darien was packing. He knew his time here was up. He'd come back in the spring for his other car but he'd take one of the trucks to the airport and have some of his men come pick it up later. He didn't even want to say goodbye to Serena. It would be too hard. Best it was just a clean cut. He couldn't handle her telling him it was over. That she had chosen Andrew after all.

Until now he could convince himself that she would choose him in the end. That all of her delays and all of the information that he'd soaked in despite not wanting to, he knew that they were a strong couple. That they had strong feelings for each other and he'd just been a diversion.

He was going to leave and let them get on their merry way. He was deluding himself that her love for him was anything like his for hers. He'd seen how much she loved Andrew not only when he was assumed dead but also when he'd come back alive. They were going to be wrapped up in each other for the next month reaffirming life and love. He didn't want to be around that nauseating display.

Nobody would realize he was gone. Not even his own sisters. They'd be too busy with their own love lives and things going on around here. Hell, Raye was due in a month. He ran a hand through his hair as he looked at the case he had on the bed.

The clothes he'd packed filled half of it. Did he pack the rest of it with the intention of never coming back except for when he had to or leave some here so he didn't need to bring anything back and forth. Usually his clothes were left split between his homes but this time he'd worn more city clothes. He would have just worn jeans and flannels had it been a normal visit here. No wonder she was always stepping back whenever he said something fitting of their location. But his clothes weren't as nice as when he was in the city.

Did she really know him? She didn't get either of his normal persona. Well it was only fair then because he didn't know her at all. Or he hadn't. He felt he knew her better now than ever before.

He would have had fun getting to learn these different parts of her if he'd been given a chance. He dumped another armful of clothes into the case and went to search for the shoes he hadn't worn since getting here.

There was a ring on his main door and he groaned, hoping it wasn't Amy or Raye. Their questions were the last thing he needed.

Imagine his surprise when he yanked open the door and he saw Serena wearing the same clothes he'd seen her in last but with a jacket and boots added. Behind her he saw one of his trucks parked haphazardly and her eyes were red and bright. He let her in with a white fingered hold on the door and a scowl on his face. "What are you doing here Serena? You should be back at the lodge with your husband, making things up."

Her face transformed from hopeful to annoyed. "Shut up Darien. This time you're actually going to listen to the answers you've been demanding of me."

"I would if it mattered anymore. Go home, back to your husband."

"God for how smart you are you really can be an idiot sometimes."

"Insulting me now?" Anger was sparking in his blackened eyes.

"If it makes you understand anything, then yes! He's _not_ my husband."

He looked ready to roar at her but then froze. His head turned as if she'd struck him. When he turned his head again towards her his eyes seemed like they were stripping her of everything. "What's this? Is it the truth or another lie? I've believed everything you've told me despite some inconsistencies, I've _believed_ you! But then, why would you lie to me now? What could you possibly gain out of leading me to believe that all this time he hasn't been your husband?" His hands closed around her upper arms, they were tight but they weren't hurting and she'd never thought he'd take it this way.

Relief had been a hope, acceptance something she'd known wouldn't be likely but prayed for it. Anger, yes, but not so black as this, not one that burned at her from within. Would it have been easier on him _had _she been married? Did he think it was an escape plan? Should she not have even told him? But made up some story about how she chose _him_?

She was quiet for too long. He shook her and she tried not to tighten up, tried to relax as he did it. "You little lying bitch. Trying to act your way out of this one? What story will you tell me next?" He let her go and she fell because she hadn't been expecting it. "You've let me and everyone around here believe that you're such a loving couple this whole time and yet you've been nothing more than all the cheap replacements we've had all along."

"It wasn't like that!" She sobbed. "I love Andrew and I would do just about anything for him. Anything but lose you!"

"Congratulations, you've managed to do that all on your own." He scoffed at her. "What makes you think I'd take you when you confess and prove to me over and over again how much you love him? There hasn't been anything in your actions to show me that you care for me."

"I'm here. I've always been here. I had promised Andrew that I would do this for him. I hadn't known, how could I have known, that I would meet you. I left him to come to you now. I want to tell you everything."

"I saw you cry over Andrew." He snapped, towering over her form still on the ground and he reached out to pull her back up, not liking her in such a subservient position. "The way you cried over him was as a lover. Yet all this time you've been living with a man."

"Your country roots are showing you prejudiced old fashioned ass." She hissed back. "Andrew and I have _never _gone past second base. Even so I loved Andrew, I've told you that, but as a big brother."

"Kissing siblings?" He derided.

"He's not _actually_ my big brother. Besides it's not like we haven't pretended to be a couple before." She winced as soon as she said it, knowing that he'd take it completely the wrong way.

"That makes it so much better that you've been lying to my trusting sisters who thought they finally found a couple who would be in a true relationship and not betraying their trust by stepping out."

"It wasn't like that. If you hadn't been here I wouldn't have had a problem with keeping abstinent." She tilted her head as she made a mental concession. "Actually if you hadn't been here, it might have gotten further between me and Andrew. I have you to thank for a relationship that's spanned almost as long as I've been alive for not being ruined."

"Oh your _so_ welcome." He hated hearing that, all of it and he just wanted to lash out. "He loves you. I highly doubt your relationship would have been ruined. You can see it in his every action and move that he would have been all too happy to take it further. Hell we all thought he was taking it further!"

"We haven't." Serena vowed trying to grab his hands but he kept avoiding her in his agitated movements, sometimes swinging them wide when he was having another bout of rage. They never got close to hitting her though. It was uncontrolled but controlled enough not to harm her. "Damn it Darien, don't you understand what I'm telling you?"

"That you've been stringing me along, probably getting some sort of sick pleasure out of seeing me in so much dilemma and pain. You _knew _that I wouldn't be someone's affair and yet you didn't breathe one word to me to make me feel any better about myself, to assuage my broken morals. Not even when we had our last fight about this, about how I'd willingly go into an affair with you despite my better judgment. Why couldn't you whisper one word to me? Did you think I couldn't handle it? Did you think I would out you when I'd been sleeping with you? Why Serena? Why put me through the torment of knowing he loved you and you loved him and I was just some sort of plaything?"

She grabbed his shirt and pulled him forward displaying uncharacteristic strength. "Damn it Darien, I wanted to. I was in pain right along with you. I feared the whole time that even though you looked fine with it on the outside you were slowly rotting on the inside, all of this love you say you have for me just turning into a real hatred. I couldn't handle the thought that you'd leave me, that if this ever came to light that you would want nothing to do with me. I feared by then it would be too late. For the last month I've been trying to tell you, decided to just come out with it this last week but it kept getting pushed to the side. Then this happened with Andrew-" Her voice shook. "He's not much younger than when my parents were taken from me. He's too young to die. He and Lizzy have been my family for so long when I didn't have anyone else. When he asked me to do this for him, I didn't feel like I had any other choice but to say yes. He was just in a really bad place and had gotten caught in a jamb and I felt like it was my turn to help him out of it. I _owe_ him so much. But it's more than that, I'm willing to go to the ends of the Earth for my family because that's what they are and what you do for them. They'd do the same for me. Or I hope they would. I've never had to ask Lizzy for much in recent years."

Darien lifted his hand and drew his thumb across her cheekbone but it was unsteady. "I suppose I can understand that. If Raye or Amy asked me to lie for them to get them out of a major problem I would do everything in my power to help them. Well... depending on how stupid I think they've been I suppose and how bad of a situation they'd gotten themselves into. I don't think I'd go to jail with them if they murdered someone in cold-blooded, but I'd pay for a fantastic lawyer and vouch for them personally."

Serena gave a strangled laugh at his attempt at lightening the mood. "I can't express how sorry I am for being unable to tell you before now. I've been trying to, really trying for the last few days and then today with his return, I knew you were going to do something stupid because you'd misunderstood the situation."

"Are there more secrets that have to come out right now?" His voice was raw and she hesitated. "Please just peal it off quick. I don't want to come across these later unsuspecting and fall into a hole."

Her lips quivered into a quirk. "Well, I'm not in advertising. I'm actually an actress."

He just stared at her then he let loose a deep and loud laugh. "Why am I not surprised?" He gathered her close and kissed her. It was a little punishing but she melted into his embrace kissing him back. He hooked an arm under her legs and carried her upstairs and into his bedroom.

Darien laid her on the bed and she got a look around, noting the open suitcase he dumped onto the floor. "Leaving?" Fear gripped her, that was so much worse. She'd never have been able to pry his address in D.C. out of his siblings fingers and she doubted anyone else knew either.

"Was." He kissed away her fears and his hands slid down her side to grip her hip and raised her hips onto his thighs. Soon her clothes disappeared and he kissed from her mouth down, torturing her when he avoided all the typical places but still managing to turn her on. Hell he had the ability to do that with just the look in his eyes when he looked at her that way he only looked at _her_.

–

Later that night he found Serena in the kitchen making some tea. She noted his entrance, not that he was making strides to hide his presence, or his near naked state. He'd thrown on a pair of sweat pants. She lifted an eyebrow as she shook the box at him. He smiled in return as he came around to kiss her bare shoulder. She'd pulled one of his white undershirts on and no bra. His hands grazed over her ribs to discover what it felt like through his shirt. She arched back into his embrace and his thumbs brushed over sensitive skin.

"What are you doing up?" He murmured dragging his teeth over the tender flesh of her neck and jaw.

She purred at his actions and took her a moment to find her voice. "Thought that was obvious."

"I know what you're doing, but last I knew you were sound asleep in my bed. Did something wake you like before?"

Serena's head lulled back onto his shoulder. "No, I- I was just thirsty. Stop it, you make it hard to concentrate." She slipped her hands over his but didn't pull them away. "When did you buy my tea?" It hadn't been there the last time she'd wanted some but that had been a few weeks ago. Usually she didn't venture into his kitchen.

"You make a very compelling sight, all domesticated." He avoided her question until she opened her eyes and they twinkled at him in the low lightening. "Your eyes make it impossible to stay firm." His kiss landed somewhere near her lips and he drew back and she chose not to contradict him. "I bought it the very next day." He shrugged. "I knew you liked it and wanted to make you feel more comfortable here, have all the amenities you were used to." He didn't add that it was a small part ploy to show her that she could make her home with him just as easily as Andrew. That didn't matter anymore.

"Thank you, it was very sweet." She turned towards him and he placed his hands on the counter on either side of him. "Are we going to be ok?"

He frowned back at her wondering if she'd finally lost it. "I believe so but the true test is going to be time and whether or not you can be honest with me."

"Well in that case-" She started on a teasing note but when he shook his head quickly, she stopped and began again. "Is there something in particular you want me to be honest about?"

His lips thinned before he reached around her for her cup and pushed it into her hand. "Come with me first." He angled them towards the living room and he set to working out a fire first then draped a blanket over her shoulders and another one over her legs. It was slightly chillier in here and so she didn't argue. He draped a third blanket over his upper body and pulled his feet up so they were beneath him. His black slippers stayed on the ground. "I'm not sure where to begin. You have given me more questions than I thought I had to start with." He sighed and reached for her hand, wanting that connection back again.

"I'm willing to answer anything you have to ask me." Serena held his gaze steady, showing that she wasn't going to try and get out of it this time.

"How about we start at the beginning then? What happened to your parents?"

His answer was her hand tightening painfully against his and the blood seeping out of her face but she still held his gaze. She was going to answer.

* * *

EAN: There was a question about a song in a previous chapter and wanting to know which one it was. That one as well as all the others... well I might have songs in mind but it only works when you don't know and can fill in your own. :)

EAN2: So there you have it. She's told Darien the truth. More will be revealed in the next chapter. FYI this is totally different than how I had originally planned it in regards to how things came out, I think I like it better? Andrew though was never going to be dead in that avalanche. That's one of those scenes that wouldn't leave me since I created it in my head before the story was even started. And I couldn't get rid of it for the life of me. I would have always regret not putting it in there.


End file.
